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Our story on how the collapse of India's vaccine exports and a WHO authorization for Chinese shots could boost Beijing's vax diplomacy efforts across the developing world-- despite concerns about efficacy. w/ reporting from bureaus across Asia/Africa.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-06/the-world-turns-to-china-for-vaccines-after-india-u-s-stumble?sref=boLeWatK
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-06/the-world-turns-to-china-for-vaccines-after-india-u-s-stumble?sref=boLeWatK
We've previously written about how China's vaccine diplomacy, originally heralded as a huge geopolitical win, were actually faltering as concerns rose from Pakistan to Brazil about trust issues, vax efficacy and data transparency.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-12-28/china-s-struggling-to-get-the-world-to-trust-its-covid-vaccines?sref=boLeWatK
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-12-28/china-s-struggling-to-get-the-world-to-trust-its-covid-vaccines?sref=boLeWatK
We've also detailed the success India had boosting its global profile by sending free vaccines donations around the world, often faster than Beijing and in places where geopolitical interests overlapped w/ China.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-25/india-beats-china-at-its-own-game-in-vaccine-diplomacy-battle?sref=boLeWatK
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-25/india-beats-china-at-its-own-game-in-vaccine-diplomacy-battle?sref=boLeWatK
Colleagues have also detailed efforts by the Quad to boost India's vaccine manufacturing and increase distribution across Asia.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-12/leaders-of-u-s-india-japan-australia-vow-to-boost-vaccines?sref=boLeWatK
As well as the U.S. getting, belatedly, into the vax diplomacy game. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-05/biden-gets-u-s-into-vaccine-diplomacy-race-as-stockpiles-rise?sref=boLeWatK
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-12/leaders-of-u-s-india-japan-australia-vow-to-boost-vaccines?sref=boLeWatK
As well as the U.S. getting, belatedly, into the vax diplomacy game. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-05/biden-gets-u-s-into-vaccine-diplomacy-race-as-stockpiles-rise?sref=boLeWatK
One of the most confusing aspects of detailing India's vaccine diplomacy success was the contrast to its own slow vaccine rollout at home. This made some sense if you know how India works -- ie, how private sector can often excel while state programs sometimes bog down...
...or that vax production was always going to outstrip the logistics of an Indian rollout. But still, in hindsight, it's obv that a deadly complacency had set in. As my talented India colleagues @bibhu_pradhan @archchaudhary and @sudhiranjansen detailed: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-29/how-india-s-vaccine-drive-crumbled-and-left-a-country-in-chaos?sref=boLeWatK
With India halting vax exports to focus on the domestic outbreak, countries around the world are now facing huge delays and gaps in their vaccination plans as Indian shipments dry up and Covax supplies look set to be delayed by months. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-06/the-world-turns-to-china-for-vaccines-after-india-u-s-stumble?sref=boLeWatK
China quickly held a call w/ India's neighbors, promising a secure supply of vaccines. Both Bangladesh and Indonesia have already secured additional shipments. And both countries approved Sinopharm days after calls with top Chinese leaders. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-06/the-world-turns-to-china-for-vaccines-after-india-u-s-stumble?sref=boLeWatK
And Indian Foreign Ministry official told @sudhiranjansen that China was clearly exploiting the situation as Delhi struggles w/ a devastating outbreak. But Delhi was confident longstanding relationships and concerns about Chinese shots would allow them to bounce back.
Taking the long view, the official also said India was ramping up capacity, including for Sputnik, and by July should be back in the game. With the virus likely requiring third shots or more, India will continue to be a major player, this person said.
The India collapse makes it likely the WHO will authorize Chinese shots soon -- something regulators around the world have been waiting on, and which would allow the shots to be sent out via Covax -- one expert told us. That would boost China's global power and authority.
From previous reporting, and surveys in multiple countries, it's clear that Chinese vaccines remain the least trusted. Even in HK, Pfizer/BNT is way more trusted than Sinovac (55.9% vs 36.7%) https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/-/media/DBC3EE616CDF475C9C402F72A844D5C1.ashx
Obviously, any shot is better than no shot. But some worry that using shots with lower efficacy, combined with relaxing distancing measures too quickly, could lead to outbreaks in countries with vulnerable health systems. We're already seeing some of that in certain places.
Still, until India gets its vaccine shipments running again (with the Oxford-AZ jab), a lot of countries around the world -- including through Covax -- could find themselves increasingly reliant on Chinese shots. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-06/the-world-turns-to-china-for-vaccines-after-india-u-s-stumble?sref=boLeWatK
