Images of victims of expired vaccines. (Photo from Irene Chen Facebook) Images of victims of expired vaccines. (Photo from Irene Chen Facebook)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A riot broke out in eastern China on Friday (Jan. 11) after news broke that at least 145 children had been sickened by expired vaccines, and in response, the Taiwan's government posted a Tweet on Sunday (Jan. 13) offering help.

Hundreds of angry parents massed in front at the Licheng Health Center in eastern China's Jiangsu Province on Friday after news broke that 145 children ranging in age from three months to four years had become ill after being given expired polio vaccines. In response, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs two days later retweeted a Breitbart news report on the riot and offered help to the communist country.

According to local Chinese media reports, in the latest scandal, over 21,000 children under the age of 14 might have received expired vaccines over the past 10 years, reported Asianews. Despite claims by authorities that such expired vaccines were harmless, at least 145 children have reported symptoms including fever, skin rashes, colds, and vomiting for months, according to the report.

Right-wing syndicated news website, Breitbart also posted an article about the riot in front of the health center. The report included an embedded video which described a Chinese official being surrounded by the enraged parents, who can be heard chanting, "Beat him! Beat him!”

Video of the riot posted by Twitter user Kumira Zhang can be seen below.

今晚的金湖县，家长因为疫苗的事进行抗议。 pic.twitter.com/KAlBh0WMny — Kumira Zhang (@KumiraZ) 2019年1月11日

In fact, a report by the BBC released on Friday suggested that, in addition to the polio vaccine, there are many safety concerns in China over the BCG, Hepatitis B, and Tdap vaccines.

On Saturday (Jan. 12), Breitbart posted its article on Twitter. The next day, Taiwan's MOFA on Sunday retweeted it, and said that it was saddened by the situation with vaccines in China, there was no need for "children to suffer needlessly," and it ended with the hashtag #TaiwanCanHelp.