Developed countries should emulate China’s vaccine diplomacy to foster global Covid response
By People Daily, March 24, 2021By Adhere Cavince
The decision by China to assist other countries acquire vaccines has received considerable criticism from Western states which see China as using the essential commodities to cement its global influence. The same countries accusing China of vaccines diplomatic overreach continue to engage in vaccine nationalism, stockpiling surplus dosses of the commodities, as countries in global south struggle to inoculate even the frontline healthcare workers.
China’s vaccine diplomacy especially in developing countries is taking place within a very strong context. It is a continuation of Covid-19 pandemic cooperation that China has had with many countries around the world, and those in Africa, in particular. Right from the start of the health crisis, China has been forthcoming in multiple ways. As the first country to report the emergence of the disease, China became the main reference point on epidemics control and experience.
Beijing then evolved to be the main source of essential medical supplies such as face masks, respirators, protective clothing, and even drugs. Massive donations of the items were sent to African countries, giving the continent a head start in its quest to cushion people and economies from the impacts of the pandemic. Beijing also funded the construction of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters as a way of hoisting continental coordination and leadership in dealing with Covid-19 and other ailments.
In May of 2020, Chinese President announced that when China gets a vaccine and upon successful deployment of the vaccine in China, then Beijing would make its vaccines accessible as global public goods to developing economies. At the time, no country had found a vaccine yet China was already committing to assist other countries.
As developed countries like United States and European counterparts launched vaccines, it was clear that developing countries were increasingly at risk of being left behind in vaccination due to a number of reasons. The earlier vaccine candidates needed cold storage facilities that were hardly available in Africa. Secondly, the economic impacts of the pandemic made it difficult for African countries to afford the US and European produced vaccines. Thirdly, rich countries had purchased billions of doses; leaving little for emerging economies.
In the meantime, China became the largest economy to join the WHO fronted Covax Facility to help developing countries access vaccines. China pledged 10 million doses of its vaccines to Covax. Similarly, China started actively donating vaccines to poor countries, enabling the beneficiaries to vaccinate critical segments of the population like the frontline healthcare workers, and other vulnerable groups.
So far, China has donated vaccines to a number of African countries such as Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Beijing has also sent vaccines to tens of countries in Asia, Latin America and Europe. It is noteworthy that as Western countries engage in vaccine nationalism to cover their populations first, China is sending more vaccines abroad than it is deploying at home.
There is no doubt that China’s vaccine diplomacy around the world has made a significant contribution to global efforts to turn the tide against the pandemic. Vaccines present the most rational and sustainable way out of the pandemic, especially now that many countries and territories have come the heavy spell of the third wave of the Covid-19 disease.
As a great power, China’s actions in the international system are not exclusively altruistic. However, Beijing has demonstrated a great spirit of multilateralism and global cooperation against the pandemic. Covid-19 remains a serious threat to all humanity. Every effort should be made to counter the spread of the virus. Very constructive effort by different countries should be lauded instead of castigated.
The writer is a scholar of international relations with a focus on China-Africa relations. Twitter: @Cavinceworld.