Taiwan president offers China help to deal with COVID surge

REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen makes a speech at a rank promotion ceremony of military members in Taipei, Taiwan, December 26, 2022.

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Sunday offered to provide China with “necessary assistance” to help it deal with a surge in COVID-19 cases, but said Chinese military activities near the island were not beneficial to peace and stability.

In an abrupt change of policy, China last month began dismantling the world’s strictest pandemic regime of lockdowns and extensive testing, meaning COVID-19 is spreading largely unchecked and likely infecting millions of people a day, according to some international health experts.