Worried about the rise of new variants and the impact on China’s economy, the US has repeatedly offered mRNA vaccines and other assistance to President Xi Jinping’s government through private channels
China has rebuffed repeated US offers to share advanced vaccines as Beijing battles a fast-spreading wave of Covid-19, a rejection that’s led to growing frustration among American officials concerned about a resurgence of the pandemic. Picture: BLOOMBERG
Moreover, accepting vaccines from the US is likely a non-starter politically for Xi, as it would shine a spotlight on Beijing’s failure to develop its own mRNA vaccine at a time when China is pushing for self-reliance amid a broader strategic fight with the US. China historically has been reticent to accept outside assistance during crises.
Early on, as tens of thousands of Americans died, China held up its Covid-Zero approach of strict quarantines, travel limits and heavy masking as a model to the world that it was saving lives — and pointedly suggested the US was recklessly killing its people. But now China is suddenly allowing the virus to run rampant, an abrupt shift that occurred days after spontaneous street protests against lockdowns.
Xi’s administration has officially acknowledged about 30 Covid-19 deaths since it abandoned strict pandemic controls at the beginning of December, prompting governments around the world to impose restrictions on Chinese travellers. China has said the shift was the correct policy because Omicron isn’t as deadly as other variants.
“China can not only meet domestic demand but also supply to other countries in need,” he told reporters. “We are also working to upgrade the vaccines to make them more effective and bolster vaccinations to cope with possible new variants so that we will continue to play a constructive role in the global Covid-19 fight.”Governments and health officials from around the globe are seeking more transparency from China.
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