The obstacles and crux of not allowing the mainland's COVID-19 vaccines into Taiwan lie not in the Chinese mainland, said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a regular news briefing on Wednesday.

"The Chinese mainland cares for the health of the people in Taiwan," Ma said. "Taiwan people in the Chinese mainland can be inoculated voluntarily and we would like to offer assistance for those in Taiwan and overseas."