China stands firm on ‘dynamic zero case’ Covid policy

‘China will continue its “dynamic zero-case” policy to cut off virus transmission as early as possible, although most countries have adopted a “living with Covid-19 virus” strategy, health officials and infectious disease specialists say. In the latest epidemic wave which started in China on October 16, more than 1,000 cases have been reported across 21 provinces, mainly in the northeastern region.

‘The number may seem insignificant when compared with those in Western countries, which have reported tens of thousands of cases daily, but top Chinese leaders said the country would not tolerate virus outbreaks as anti-epidemic work was an important political mission.’

Read here (AsiaTimes, Nov 15, 2021)

China’s vaccine diplomacy falls flat in the Philippines

‘The Philippines has finally kicked off its Covid-19 vaccine rollout with much-publicized donations from China but rising controversies around the rollout will prevent Beijing from declaring a “vaccine diplomacy” win.

‘China recently delivered 600,000 doses of the vaccine developed by the Beijing-based company Sinovac Biotech and frontliners across the country are set to be among the primary beneficiaries. The drive kicks off as the Philippines grapples with one of the region’s worst outbreaks and steepest economic recessions caused by extended lockdowns.’

Read here (Asia Times, Mar 4, 2021)

China, Russia steal a vaccine diplomacy march

‘Russia and China are rising to the rich versus poor challenge by supplying much-needed vaccines to nations that would otherwise be far down on the global list. While the US and EU remain preoccupied with their own Covid-19 problems, Russian and Chinese companies are forming partnerships with each other and countries around the world.

‘That “vaccine diplomacy” success, however, is already starting to raise concerns in the West. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, originally poo-pooed in the West as a mere publicity stunt by President Vladimir Putin, has not only proved to be one of the most effective vaccines – providing over 90% protection – but also is inexpensive and easy to use...

‘Until recently, China’s vaccine industry was considered a relatively minor player on the international scene. But the race to develop and deploy Covid-19 vaccines has provided China the impetus to massively upgrade its capacities while establishing itself as a major global supplier. 

‘Covid-19 vaccines by at least four Chinese producers are in final, Phase III trials in a dozen countries, with more in the pipeline. More importantly, the two presently leading Chinese vaccines, produced by the Sinovac and Sinopharm companies, have already been administered to many millions of people in emergency vaccination campaigns in the developing world.’ 

Read here (Asia Times, Feb 8, 2021)

Just like Pfizer, China says vaccines can beat new strains

‘Virologists and vaccine specialists with China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said on Wednesday they had a detailed plan to upgrade homegrown vaccines against Covid-19 to “version 2.0” within two months to stop the spread of new mutant strains found across the United Kingdom and South Africa.

‘The claim coincided with Pfizer’s announcement on Wednesday that its Covid-19 vaccine works against mutated variants found in the UK and South Africa, according to a lab study. China’s claim comes as local firms SinoPharm and Sinovac crank out their Covid-19 shots for mass inoculations.’

Read here (Asia Times, Jan 28, 2021)

Asia’s deadliest Covid country [Indonesia] to resist vaccination

‘A Saiful Mujani Research & Consulting survey last month found that only 37% of respondents were willing to take what might be the life-saving jab, with 40% uncertain and 17% saying they would refuse it, mostly because of concerns over safety and effectiveness. Health experts say even with a smooth rollout through hospitals and 10,000 first-level health clinics, it will be at least 15 months before the program reaches the percentage required for herd immunity among Indonesia’s 270 million-strong population. The government estimates it will need 427 million doses, factoring in a wastage of 15%, to vaccinate a targeted 181.5 million citizens, with Widodo saying he wants that done by mid-2022.’

Read here (Asia Times, Jan 18, 2021)

Cracks in the vial of China’s vaccine diplomacy

‘Clouds are gathering over Indonesia’s Covid-19 inoculation rollout plan after Brazilian scientists reported this week that the efficacy of China’s CoronaVac vaccine was just barely over 50%. The readout was well below the 78% mark the same Brazilian researchers asserted last week and considerably lower than trials on the Sinovac-produced vaccine conducted in other countries.

‘Indonesia, which has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia at 850,000, has already ordered 125.5 million CoronaVac doses. Its president, Joko Widodo, received a shot of the same vaccine on Wednesday morning in a symbolic start to Indonesia’s national vaccination program. Two days earlier, Indonesia’s food and drug agency became the first regulator in the world to approve use of the Sinovac vaccine, after its own local trials found 65.3% efficacy, above the World Health Organization’s 50% threshold for advised use.’

Read here (Asia Times, Jan 14, 2021)

India’s push to use untested vaccine rings alarm bells

‘India’s need for speed in providing a Covid-19 vaccine and attempts to push a locally-produced version through for use before a required phase 3 trial was finished has raised doubts and protests from politicians, scientists and academicians.

‘The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that’s being produced locally by the Serum Institute of India as Covishield. The world’s largest vaccine manufacturer based in Pune said it can readily provide 50 million vaccines to the government for immediate use and can roll out full production to start supplying the population by March.

‘The DCGI also approved a vaccine produced by Bharat Biotech Ltd along with the Indian Council for Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology named Covaxin for emergency use on a trial basis.’

Read here (Asia Times, Jan 4, 2020)

China vaccinates a million (interim target: 15 million by mid-February) but some take a jab back

‘Workers kept in the dark about the vaccine injected and are warned not to take any photos of the process...

‘At least a million priority or at-risk Chinese have had their first shots of indigenous Covid-19 vaccines after guidelines kicked in on December 15. Several populous provinces and gateway cities from Guangdong to Shandong and Henan to Shanghai are included as Beijing triages vaccine distribution to regions more exposed to Covid flare-ups and “backflows.” The interim goal, cited by the National Health Commission (NHC) and Xinhua, is to immunize at least 15 million police officers and medical and customs personnel by the Chinese New Year in mid-February...

‘Yet initial feedback from those chosen for the pilot scheme appears to be less than ideal. As seen on forums and WeChat groups popular among medical workers and immigration officers and through Asia Times’ interviews of airport workers in Shanghai, major complaints center around the elusive manner in which these drugs are produced and administered.’

Read here (Asia Times, Dec 30, 2020) 

Spotlight on China’s competing Covid vaccines

‘Chinese authorities have already approved multiple Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use in the country, and nearly a million Chinese have already been vaccinated with one candidate. Several local governments are already placing orders for domestically developed vaccines, though the Chinese government hasn’t confirmed how many people it’s aiming to vaccinate as part of emergency approval. The first international shipments of the vaccine, by private Chinese company Sinovac, have also already arrived in Indonesia this week in preparation for a mass vaccination campaign ahead of expected local approval...

‘So who are the companies developing these vaccines in China, and what do we know about them?’ 

Read here (Asia Times, Dec 12, 2020)

China seeks to flip the script on Covid blame game

‘Chinese state media is advancing a possible alternative explanation for the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, one that claims that the contagion may have first arrived in China from abroad in imported frozen foods. Chinese officials quoted in the reports suggest  “cold chain food contamination” could debunk the widely held belief that the novel coronavirus first emerged from a wet market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, from where it reputedly made its lethal global spread.’  

Read here (Asia Times, Nov 4, 2020) 

China wants to supply the world with its coronavirus vaccine

‘China plans to rapidly ramp up its capacity to produce a vaccine for the coronavirus (Covid-19), state media CCTV has announced. It plans to dominate vaccine supply domestically and globally, despite the fact Western nations are unlikely to acquire a Chinese vaccine. It will be pushed to the rest of the world instead. China's vaccine was developed in almost the same way as the "Oxford vaccine" in the UK, using virus enhancement techniques to create an inert but powerful antibody response, which if used with a second booster shot could offer several years of immunity, even against mutant strains, according to Chinese scientists.’

Read here (Asia Times, Oct 21, 2020)

China rolls out the Health Silk Road

 ‘In a graphic demonstration of soft power, so far China has offered Covid-19-related equipment and medical help to no fewer than 89 nations – and counting...

‘That covers Africa (especially South Africa, Namibia and Kenya, with Alibaba in fact announcing it will send help to all African nations); Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Peru); the arc from East Asia to Southwest Asia; and Europe...

‘Key recipients in Europe include Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Serbia and Poland. But Italy, most of all, is a very special case. Most are donations. Some are trade – like millions of masks sold to France (and the US)...

‘This Chinese soft power offensive is carefully calibrated to offset the current paralysis of global supply chains. China is now working overtime to supply many parts of the world with medicine and related healthcare items – always with the Belt and Road framework in mind, as if doubling down on Globalization 2.0.’

Read here (Asia Times, April 2, 2020)