Taiwan says India helped Paraguay get Covid vaccines after China pressure

Taiwan says China was 'flexing its muscles' with its vaccine diplomacy, in particular in South and Central America.

Taiwan worked with other democracies to help its diplomatic ally Paraguay get COVID-19 vaccines after China put pressure on the South American country to ditch Taipei in exchange for shots, and India stepped in to help, Taiwan's foreign minister said.

Chinese-claimed Taiwan has formal ties with only 15 countries, and Beijing, which asserts that the island does not have the right to diplomatic recognition, has stepped up efforts to coax them away.

Taiwan said last month it was helping Paraguay, its sole diplomatic ally in South America, buy Covid-19 vaccines after protests there over the government's handling of the health