China to discuss Xi’s offer of cooperation with India for COVID-19 vaccine development

China on November 18 has said that it will work in synergy with India for the development of COVID-19 vaccine amid the pandemic. Amid the ongoing border tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), during the press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is willing to make contributions in achieving sustainable and affordable vaccine of the highly-infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. With more than a year after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in China on November 17, 2019, the number of global infections and deaths has continued to soar.

As per John Hopkins University tally, the total coronavirus infections in the world have surpassed 55.7 million while the casualties have hiked to over 1.3 million. Even though some vaccine candidates by drugmakers are showing promising results, there is not a definite immunity to COVID-19. Amid such grim circumstances, when China was asked about initiatives that it has taken with India in terms of vaccine cooperation, Lijian said that the competent authorities of China and India “will have communication and coordination”.

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Zhao Lijian said, “The Chinese government is willing to make contributions to achieving the accessibility and affordability of vaccine in developing countries and the building of a community of health for humankind. China is willing to promoting sustained cooperation with other countries on vaccine development and international fight against COVID-19 to defeat the virus at an early date. As for the specific question you raised, I believe competent authorities of China and India will have communication and coordination.”

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Xi Jinping at BRICS Summit

Lijian echoed the same remarks that Chinese President Xi Jinping said after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the 12th virtual BRICS conference. Xi said that China is prepared to cooperate with India on the COVID-19 vaccine. Chinese President asserted that the world must keep 'people's welfare' close to heart and pursue the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. 

Xi's comments came after PM Modi highlighted India's pivotal role in helping the globe mass produce and distribute the COVID vaccine. Meanwhile, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has shown 95% efficacy and the Moderna’s vaccine candidate is 94.5% efficient. The Chinese candidate is also touted by the authorities as safe.

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