Two health workers are seen in a hall used for COVID-19 virus vaccinations in New Taipei City on Tuesday. The Taiwan Centers for Disease control announced 219 new confirmed cases and 22 deaths on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Taiwan-born singer Huang Pin-yuan suddenly found himself in hot water over recent days after  a song he composed three weeks ago, which praised mainland vaccines, was attacked by secessionist media on the island of Taiwan. But netizens have seen through a media ploy to divert public attention from suspicions toward locally made vaccine as four people died after receiving their shots in three days. 

The song was released on August 12 titled "Fly for dreams." The music video accompanying the song includes scenes of Huang singing with children and montage of medical staff hurrying to save lives and protect the public. Huang wrote on Sina Weibo that he made song in the hope that people unite to overcome a shared challenge. 

On Facebook, Huang said he for the first time spent long time in mainland due to the COVID-19 and received two free doses of vaccine in May. He was impressed that mainland authorities have shared 500 million doses to some 100 countries and regions worldwide, which in part inspired him to pen the lyrics. 

However, media outlets close to the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party attacked him on Thursday, saying his song was opposing Taiwan-made vaccines, and "Xiao Wei" would be made to cry for what he said.

Xiao Wei is a song named after a girl that Huang is famous for. 

Secessionist media attacks on Huang came after severe adverse effects were reported among vaccine recipients after DPP authorities rolled out inoculation of locally developed vaccine. 

Without phase III clinical trials, the vaccine, produced by Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp (MVC) on the island, was approved by Taiwan authorities for emergency use in July with data from phase II clinical trials.  

Since vaccination started on Monday, four deaths have been reported among recipients. Although it is still not clear whether the four deaths were directly connected to the vaccination, the development has sparked widespread public concern. 

Some Taiwan netizens commented on Huang's Facebook page that attacks agianst him is nothing more than an attempt to divert public attention away from the locally made vaccine. 

Global Times