The WHO and its “New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan” (COVAX) initiated a joint statement on July 1, urging “all governments of all countries, regions and localities” to respond to all new coronavirus vaccines approved by WHO when opening their borders. Treat equally. On the same day, the EU “Vaccine Passport” was officially launched. Holders of this pass can be exempted from quarantine and testing, and freely travel in and out of EU countries and European countries such as Norway and Switzerland. However, this policy is only effective for travelers from various countries who have been vaccinated with the four European and American vaccines. The Associated Press stated that Western countries such as the United States and Europe have yet to recognize the Chinese National Medicines and Coxing Vaccines that have been approved for use by the WHO. The WHO’s appeal will put these Western countries under pressure. In recent years, due to large-scale vaccination, the epidemic situation in the United States and Europe has eased, and large-scale open travel, especially cross-border travel, has been opened up in the United States and Europe. China’s “vaccine diplomacy”. Regarding this kind of political anti-epidemic measures, the AU special envoy Mahieva, who is responsible for purchasing vaccines for Africa, said angrily on the 1st that as the epidemic in Africa is worsening, “no vaccine in Europe is sent to Africa.” . Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated at a regular press conference on the 2nd that since the outbreak of the epidemic, China has firmly adhered to the “first attribute” of the global public product of vaccines. The society has supplied more than 480 million doses of vaccines, making it the country that provides the most vaccines in the world.
Europe and the United States encounter “Chinese problems”
“The WHO statement challenges Western countries.” The Associated Press said that the WHO’s move will urge the United States and Europe to expand their acceptance of Chinese vaccines. According to the report, the WHO and COVAX also criticized in their statements that some countries only recognize some of the vaccines approved by the WHO, “it will only divide the world into two, which will further expand the global vaccine gap and exacerbate our global vaccine distribution. The unfairness in the process will have a negative impact on the world economic growth that has been hit hard.” The statement said that such measures are “undermining people’s confidence in life-saving vaccines that have been proven safe and effective.” The Associated Press also said that the two vaccines of Sinopharm and Kexing have been confirmed by the WHO to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. Although Western countries rely heavily on vaccines made in the United States and Europe, many developing countries use Chinese vaccines.
Reuters said on the 2nd that the COVAX mechanism initiated by the WHO and it aims to ensure equal access to the new crown vaccination worldwide. This equality not only means protecting the lives and health of ordinary people around the world, but also protecting their access Equal treatment of travel and trade. According to the report, so far, the WHO has urgently approved 8 new coronavirus vaccines: BioNTech vaccine jointly developed and produced by Pfizer and German companies, Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Modena vaccine, AstraZeneca vaccine (AZ), South Korea Produce AZ vaccine, AZ vaccine produced in India, as well as China National Medicine and Kexing vaccine.
“Europe and the United States are encountering a’China problem.” German news television said on the 2nd that the WHO statement did not specify which countries and regions it is aimed at, but the European Union officially launched the “Green Electronic Pass” on the 1st, holding this similar “vaccine passport.” Of people can be exempted from quarantine and testing. However, most countries in the United States and Europe have only recognized the four vaccines they have produced, while excluding vaccines from countries such as China and Russia. The EU’s current implementation of the “vaccine passport” policy remains the same. According to the report, although these Western countries did not explain why, according to their politicians and the media, China’s vaccines are “poorly effective.” However, some observers say that this is also related to the competition between European and American vaccines and Chinese vaccines. At the G20 foreign ministers meeting held a few days ago, German Foreign Minister Maas warned China and Russia not to use the distribution of vaccines to “realize geostrategic advantages.”
“WHO urges the United States and Europe to recognize China’s vaccines as soon as possible. The urge itself is an expression of position and attitude.” Domestic epidemic prevention expert Tao Lina said in an interview with a reporter from the Global Times on the 2nd that it is understood that some Western countries such as the United States Non-governmental organizations such as colleges and universities have recognized the domestically produced vaccines vaccinated by Chinese students, but the government’s delay in acknowledging them has made the recognition of the people “improper and unsound”.
Taolina said that since the WHO recognizes the Chinese vaccine, it shows that there is no problem with the Chinese vaccine itself. The reason why Europe and the United States refuse to recognize it is not based on scientific considerations, but based on their own political judgments of ideology. Moreover, effective progress has been made in China’s epidemic prevention and control and vaccination. People leaving China will not become a source of infection. On the contrary, the situation in Europe and the United States is not optimistic.
U.S. and Europe confront China’s “vaccine diplomacy”
According to Agence France-Presse, the European Union has officially launched the “Vaccine Passport” from the 1st. People can travel to and from the 27 EU countries by presenting their vaccination certificate, recent new coronavirus test results, or post-infected rehabilitation certificate through their mobile phone or printed version. And European countries such as Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, etc., do not need to be quarantined or undergo additional virus testing. “Vaccine Passport” currently only recognizes 4 vaccines approved by the European Union, including those produced by AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Modena and Johnson & Johnson. As for other vaccines that are only approved by some countries, such as China’s Coxing Vaccine and Russia’s “Satellite V”, member states can decide on their own whether to admit their vaccinators into the country. According to reports, the European Union started the Russian vaccine approval process as early as March, and the Kexing vaccine also entered the approval process in May, but there have been no results so far.
According to a German TV station, in fact, the United States and Europe currently do not even recognize the AZ vaccine produced by its allies India and South Korea. Prior to this, the Indian government and people were very angry at the EU’s move, thinking it was a typical “racial discrimination.” The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) stated that the Indian government is negotiating with the 27 EU member states one by one, and finally nine countries will include passengers vaccinated with Indian AZ vaccine into the “vaccine passport” program.
South Korea has not stated that the EU’s “vaccine passport” policy excludes South Korean AZ vaccines. The South Korean News Agency said on the 2nd that the South Korean government had previously announced a vaccination exemption policy, including two vaccines approved by the World Health Organization in China. South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo stated that in response to some domestic media and people’s voices against China’s vaccines, South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare stated on the 2nd that people who had been vaccinated from China were included in the list of exempted quarantines because of the application of WHO standards and the South Korean government’s refusal. Consider revising the above decision.
In order to counter China’s “vaccine diplomacy”, the US government and companies have joined forces. The Wall Street Journal said on the 1st that a government investment fund called the International Development Finance Corporation of the United States said that it will provide approximately US$119 million in loans to South Africa’s Aspen Pharmaceuticals to help Aspen achieve a vaccine production by the end of 2022. Billion doses. In fact, this African pharmaceutical company just filled the US Johnson & Johnson vaccine in vials. The report quoted a U.S. official as saying that the reason the U.S. government fund provides funding for vaccine production in Africa is to counter China’s influence and enable Africa to provide alternatives to Chinese vaccines.
Taulina believes that the European and American non-recognition of Chinese vaccines will inevitably have a negative impact on the world’s anti-epidemic process. It is the most important thing for people in every country to get the vaccine as soon as possible. China’s vaccines have accumulated enough data. They are of high quality and low price, with the largest output. They can contribute to the world’s fight against the epidemic. Europe and the United States should not refuse to admit it out of some self-interested considerations.
“The AU Special Envoy slams the West”
“The nightmare is back again.” The New York Times said on the 1st that despite the current easing of the epidemic in the US and European countries with high vaccination rates, people are reveling in the gradual return to normal life. However, due to the impact of mutant viruses, especially the highly infectious “Delta” strain first discovered in India, the epidemic has once again been on the rise in many parts of the world.
Especially in Africa and Asia, many countries have seen a record increase in new confirmed cases and deaths in a single day. According to Reuters, India said on the 2nd that 400,000 people have been killed by the epidemic, making it the third country in the world to have more than 400,000 deaths from new coronary pneumonia after the United States and Brazil. At the same time, only 6% of adults in India have completed two doses of vaccination.
In Japan, due to the worsening of the epidemic caused by the “delta” strain, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had to say on the 1st that if the epidemic worsened again during the Tokyo Olympics and had to declare a state of emergency, it would not rule out the possibility of empty venues. Even countries such as South Korea and Israel that seem to have basically defeated the epidemic have renewed a surge in confirmed cases.
More worrying is Africa. “The AU special envoy violently criticizes the West,” Deutsche News Agency said that the AU special envoy, who is responsible for purchasing vaccines for the African continent, violently criticized the unfair distribution of vaccines at a press conference on the 1st. He said that Africa is experiencing a third wave of epidemics, and “none of the vaccines in Europe are sent to Africa.” He also criticized those countries that did not fulfill their donation pledges without naming them. He said that COVAX promised to provide 700 million doses of vaccine to Africa by December of this year, but this year has passed halfway, and Africa has only received about 65 million doses of vaccine in total. Neck Ngaso, director of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that 1.3 billion people on the African continent are suffering from the third wave of the epidemic. The wards are overcrowded and oxygen is scarce. The virus is spreading to extremely fragile rural areas. Regarded as the’New Crown Continent’. He said that in Europe, Europeans who have been vaccinated can freely go to the scene to watch football matches without wearing a mask. This is not the case in Africa, because only 1% of Africans are vaccinated.
Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao stated on the 2nd that since the outbreak, many African countries have received Chinese vaccines. As China expands its vaccine production scale and has vaccinated most of its population, after September, China will be able to export 340 million doses of vaccine to the world every month.
“China’s vaccine footprint covers five continents around the world. Up to now, China has provided vaccines to nearly 100 countries and has announced that it will provide the first batch of 10 million doses of vaccine to COVAX.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a press conference on the 2nd. Vaccines are the first vaccines obtained in many developing countries. President Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe said that the vaccine donated by China is like the light at the end of the tunnel.
