[ad_1]
Since COVID-19 broke out, China’s border has been largely closed to foreigners. Only a few have been admitted and, once on the scene, they have been forced to undergo strict quarantine.
Now China is knocking on the door and announcing that some groups that have been vaccinated can enter the country. The offer applies to foreigners and their relatives who want to go to work in China. Those who have humanitarian reasons for visiting China, such as attending a funeral, should also be included.
But here’s a catch travelers must have received a vaccine made in China.
To date, the new rules apply to nationals of twelve countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Australia, Italy, Germany, Iraq, Thailand, Croatia, Israel, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
The problem is that most Western countries, with the exception of Hungary, have not approved Chinese vaccines. Authorities refer to poor test data. Furthermore, published studies show that Chinese vaccines are less effective than vaccines that have been developed in the West.
At the same time, China has not approved some vaccines manufactured in the West. On the contrary, state media have questioned the safety of vaccines developed in the West, highlighting Chinese ones as better alternatives.
The fact that China does not include vaccines approved by the World Health Organization WHO in the new regulations raises suspicions that China is trying to pressure several countries to give the green light to Chinese vaccines. Something that the Chinese deny. The rules are based on “safety and efficiency,” foreign affairs spokesman Zhao Lijan told a news conference this week without elaborating on the issue further.
At the same time prevails There is no doubt that China wants to export its vaccines to as many countries as possible. The country has developed four vaccines, three of which are exported, and it was early in the launch of its vaccines abroad. According to state media, the government has sent vaccines to 69 countries. In most cases, these are developing countries in Asia, Africa and South America.
The regime claims that the sole purpose of the export is to stop the spread of COVID-19 around the world. However, the offensive launch of the vaccine has raised suspicions of a vaccine diplomacy in which China, with its hard-currency vaccine, wants to increase its global influence. The hope is to be able to benefit from a debt of gratitude in the future in the countries that have received vaccines in China.
Read more:
Opening of the Russian Sputnik vaccine as Europe enters the third wave
