TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan on Monday (Aug. 10) donated 50,000 medical masks to New York City’s Manhattan, with Li Kuang-chang (李光章), director of the New York Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), handing over the medical supplies to Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

The batch of masks was provided by the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America (TCCNA) and Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of New York (TCCNY), CNA reported.

At the donation ceremony, which took place in front of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, Li stated that the international community has witnessed how Taiwan can help and is helping. The representative also remarked, "I assure you that Taiwan will always be with New Yorkers during the epidemic."

Brewer lauded Taiwan's generosity and thanked the Taiwanese community for their kind efforts over the years.

Brewer, who has served as borough president of Manhattan for more than six years, said that the epidemic is not over yet and that both the state and city of New York depend on donations to tide them over amid the crisis.

If people are not wearing masks, the epidemic curve cannot be flattened, she stated. For this reason, Brewer has had masks distributed at subway stations, parades, and bars and other local businesses in hopes that the curve will continue to flatten until effective treatment is available.

She expressed gratitude to Taiwan, telling Li, "Your country and its diplomatic offices have always been so generous, and I am very grateful. Not only did you generously donate 50,000 masks today, but your hard work and contributions to New York City have actually spanned decades."

Also at the ceremony was TCCNY President Chiang Chun-lin (江俊霖), who mentioned that the organization has donated medical supplies many times in recent months. He said that as the coronavirus may rebound August, the public needs more protective wear.

Chiang pledged that as long as he is able to, he will continue to help New York until the epidemic ends.

The TCCNA and TCCNY donated masks to community organizations in New York’s Harlem district on Aug. 5, with Li and the representative of New York’s 13th congressional district, Adriano Espaillat, presiding over the event.

Espaillat later tweeted that the U.S. and Taiwan are in the same boat and thanked Li for handing out masks to residents of the area.