Taiwan Slams China's 'Cruel' Pandemic Lockdowns

Taiwan has criticized China for enforcing a "cruel" lockdown on its citizens, saying it will take a different strategy to deal with the country's largest outbreak.

Premier Su Tseng-chang stated on Sunday that Taiwan's pandemic approach to reduce the infections had been "applauded around the world" and that the country had devised a strategy to combat growing outbreaks in the country.

In Taiwan, the rate of COVID-19 cases has surged, with 75,000 infections caused by the Omicron strain since the start of the year.

Although almost all of the infections are minor or have no symptoms, the number of cases has surged by more than 40% since March.

"We will not shut down the country and districts as harshly as China," Su said, adding that Taipei will use gradual approaches, with a strategy and a routine in place.

Taiwan has not yet hit a tipping point in terms of infection, according to Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, who added that the island may see 50,000 cases every day.

The authority has promised a "new Taiwan model" backed by massive vaccinations, deviating from China's strict zero-tolerance policy.

Su evaded China as the Xi Jinping administration confined millions of people to their houses in Shanghai, one of the worst-affected cities, and imposed stringent restrictions, including the installation of electronic door alarms to keep infected patients from escaping.

Although there is considerable controversy regarding how honest authorities have been about the exact casualty count, the city documented 400 deaths from the infection.

Last Monday, China's Taiwan Affairs Office warned that Taiwan's new pandemic response model will result in many deaths. The quarantine period for all new arrivals in Taiwan has been reduced from two weeks to 10 days.

As the mask mandates are in place, the country's population of around 23 million individuals has received two vaccinations, and about 60% have received their first booster dosage.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Beijing strengthened COVID-19 regulations in the face of a new coronavirus outbreak.

At the same time, the people of Shanghai, the country's most populated metropolis, were given a brief relief following weeks of rigorous lockdown that followed the country's biggest outbreak since the pandemic began. 

The government imposed a weeks-long lockdown on Shanghai in response to the crisis, with citizens unable to leave their houses for any purpose other than medical emergencies.

After two days of zero infections recorded outside the toughest quarantine zones, some Shanghai citizens were allowed outside for a brief break on Sunday.