TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As Czech Senate speaker Milos Vystrcil leads an 89-member delegation in Taiwan, Taiwanese firm and machinery industry leaders have raised funds to donate five "fully automated 3D high-end mask production lines" to the Czech Republic as a token of their appreciation for the eastern European country's friendliness toward Taiwan.
Autoland Technology Co., Ltd. (東建安公司) General Manager Kuo Li-lin (郭立霖) was cited by SET News as saying that these five production lines are being donated by his company and a group of machinery industry leaders in southern Taiwan to the Czech Republic to help them produce masks for 120,000 front-line medical staff. One production line can produce 30 medical-grade masks and N95 respirators per minute, according to Kuo.
Kuo estimated that the mask production lines will generate 200 million euros (US$236 million) in economic benefits for the Czech Republic per year. Therefore, he asserted that the equipment will not only help prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), but it will also increase job opportunities for Czech citizens.
(Autoland photo)
He said that when the production lines arrive in the Czech Republic, Taiwan will also dispatch experts to assist in assembling and operating the machines. The Czech government will also send its own personnel to Taiwan to learn how to use the machines and to set up a support network, according to Kuo.
"Taiwan's communications networks are well developed. If there are any problems, we can communicate through video to help them overcome obstacles," said Kuo. When asked if the shipment of five mask manufacturing lines would affect the quantity of masks available in Taiwan, Kuo said that there is a surplus of masks in the country and called on the public not to worry.
When asked what his motivation was for donating the mask-making lines, Kuo said that one reason is that the Czech Republic has been very friendly to Taiwan and the country needs more friends like this. He then added, "More importantly, it can help another country reduce the number of people who die from Wuhan pneumonia. Isn't that a good thing?"
(Autoland photo)
