President Tsai lauds newly completed surgical mask assembly lines

2020/03/09

President Tsai Ing-wen said March 5 that the combined efforts of the public and private sectors to ramp up surgical mask production and complete new assembly lines are appreciated by everyone in Taiwan, highlighting the effectiveness of the government’s disease control measures.
 
 Following the emergence of a new coronavirus in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, a surge in domestic demand for surgical masks was anticipated, Tsai said, adding the Cabinet ordered assembly of 60 surgical mask production lines supplemented by new machines purchased by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
 
 According to Tsai, bringing these on line would normally take half a year. Under the guidance of the government and with the help of experts from across Taiwan, this was shortened to a mere 25 days, she said.
 
 The president made the remarks while visiting Chang Hong Machinery in New Taipei City, one of the suppliers partnering with the government for the initiative.
 
 Tsai said Taiwan’s proactive response to the emergence of COVID-19 and swift decision-making processes have drawn global admiration. The country’s ability to open up new production lines in such a short time is yet further demonstration of the national spirit, she added.
 
 Statistics by the CECC reveal 45 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan as of March 6, with one death. A total of 80,552 cases have been identified in China and 16,751 in 82 other countries and territories.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)