TAIPEI (Reuters). Taiwan Vice President William Lai used the last day of his visit to the United States to reaffirm the accusation that China prevented Taiwan from receiving COVID-19 vaccines. He also wanted to express gratitude to a U.S. legislator for her contribution in donating inoculations.

Last May, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen accused https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-says-china-blocked-deal-with-biontech-covid-19-shots-2021-05-26 China of blocking a deal with Germany’s BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:) for COVID-19 vaccines, after Beijing offered the shots to the island via a Chinese company just as Taiwan was dealing with a rise in domestic infections.

Beijing dismissed any attempt to prevent Taiwan from getting vaccines. The Chinese also suggested Chinese-developed shots that Taiwan declined, citing safety concerns. China considers Taiwan its territory.

Less than two weeks after Tsai’s comments, Senator Tammy Duckworth, visiting Taipei with two other U.S. lawmakers, said the United States would donate https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/three-us-senators-arrive-taiwan-meet-president-2021-06-05 750,000 vaccine doses to Taiwan.

Lai expressed his gratitude to the Illinois Democrat while he was on his way to Taiwan from Honduras.

Lai indicated that he was especially grateful to her in Taiwan last year, when Taiwan couldn’t get vaccines because of the China factor.” Taiwan’s presidential Office said. It cited Hsiao Bhim, the U.S. Ambassador to Washington, as being with Lai.

She was not content to advocate that the Biden administration provide Taiwan with vaccines, she went on the road to Taiwan and announced that the United States will donate vaccines for Taiwan.

China’s Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to my request.

The BioNTech vaccines were jointly created with Taiwan. Taiwan finally began to receive them. Pfizer Inc (NYSE :), September.

This was after Taiwan’s government granted Foxconn, the major Apple Inc (NASDAQ) supplier, and Terry Gou, its prominent billionaire founder, permission to negotiate for its doses on its behalf.

Lai, who is a potential presidential candidate in 2024 was actually abroad to attend the Honduran new president’s inauguration. However, he took advantage of his time and engaged in diplomacy in Taiwan with the United States.

He briefly https://www.reuters.com/world/us-taiwanese-vice-presidents-speak-rare-encounter-honduras-2022-01-28 talked to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris while in Honduras, drawing Chinese anger, and on Friday had a virtual meeting https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-vp-wraps-up-overseas-trip-with-us-house-speaker-meeting-2022-01-29 with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Lai met with H.R., a former national security advisor of Trump. McMaster, Matt Pottinger and H.R.

According to the statement, that hour-long conversation was about military issues such as “the correct preparations Taiwan” for maintaining security and stability in Taiwan Strait.

China has not renounced using force to control Taiwan.