BEIJING - China faces a major test in its vaccine diplomacy, with a deadline fast approaching on whether it will officially join a World Health Organisation-backed effort to ensure everyone across the globe is inoculated against Covid-19.
So far, Beijing has focused on cutting one-on-one deals for vaccine doses with friendly governments as the US urges nations to shun Chinese companies for 5G networks, computer chips and big infrastructure projects. Covax, which is also led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the vaccine alliance Gavi, is designed to give governments an opportunity to hedge the risk of backing unsuccessful vaccine candidates and give less developed countries access to shots that would be otherwise unaffordable.
For China, Covax could act as a kind of insurance policy that allows it access to any successfully developed vaccine. DIPLOMATIC ANGLE China doesn't have much experience in manufacturing and distributing a vaccine for global consumption. The industry's reputation took a hit in 2018 when two Chinese vaccine-makers were found to have cut corners in production, undermining confidence both at home and abroad.
China has promised to prioritise providing doses for at least 62 countries, including governments that have received infrastructure loans under Mr Xi's Belt and Road Initiative. Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Morocco have formal agreements with China's major vaccine manufacturers, and Egypt is close to signing one.
Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)
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