As China gloats over its COVID vaccine diplomacy, netizens quick to show Beijing its place

Continuing with its bid to promote China's homegrown COVID-19 vaccines (Sinopharm & Sinovac) as a "global public good", on August 4, Beijing boasted that it has provided more than 750 million doses of vaccines to over 100 countries. According to the Xi Jinping regime, over 190 million doses have been consigned to ASEAN member-countries, which include ten Southeast Asian states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Taking to Twitter to post a number of combative tweets and replies on a range of issues, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared as follows: 

Netizens react to China's COVID vaccines' claims

Netizens were quick to respond to the latest China has to offer on how benevolent it is. While few reminded the Communist regime of COVID-19 originating from China, others sarcastically commented on China's domestic vaccines and their efficacy.

Questions remain against China's COVID vaccines

China has been projecting itself as the front-runner in the COVID-vaccine race but outrightly failed to share correct information in relation to domestically developed COVID vaccines. While the Xi Jinping-led State boasts to have distributed millions of Sinopharm and Sinovac doses abroad, the state-owned manufacturers have not submitted a detailed later-stage result for scientists to independently analyse and conclude the vaccines' efficacy.

The WHO, however, was quick to approve administration of both Chinese-backed vaccines for emergency use purposes. In June, the WHO had stated that Sinovac vaccine "prevented symptomatic disease in 51% of those vaccinated and prevented severe hospitalisation in 100% of the studied population" whereas Sinopharm vaccine demonstrated a "vaccine efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalised patients at 79%". Notably, the WHO acknowledged that few adults over age 60 participated in the trials which potentially skewed the numbers as senior citizens (party to trials) were less vulnerable to contracting SARS-CoV-2 than the public at large.

Countries COVID cases surge despite Chinese jabs

While Beijing's COVID vaccines development process and their results have been shrouded in opacity, some countries that opted for Chinese jabs and have high vaccination rates are witnessing a surge in infection.

Chile re-imposed stringent curbs on travelling in response to the Delta variant wherein more than 70% of Chileans were fully vaccinated mostly with Sinovac vaccine. Currently, Chile remains under a state of emergency until October 1, 2021.

Despite a small population, Mongolia recently recorded its highest increase in COVID cases per capita. The country had administered more Chinese shots to its population than any other country in Asia. However, following the outbreak, for Mongolia, the way forward revolves around booster vaccines. The government will soon decide on which vaccine will be used hereafter, Pfizer and Novavax remain in contention.

In July, Thailand had changed its vaccine policy to mix China's Sinovac with the AstraZeneca vaccine with an objective to boost protection after hundreds of medical/frontline workers caught COVID despite being fully vaccinated with Sinovac. Similarly, Indonesia announced a similar move by giving Moderna booster shots to workers immunised with Sinovac. The main doctors and nurses' association in Jakarta stated at least 50 healthcare workers succumbed to SARS-CoV-2 despite receiving both doses of the Chinese vaccine. 

In April the UAE had announced a third shot to recipients of the Chinese state-backed Sinopharm vaccine which was administered to the large international labour force in the country. Validating concerns over Chinese vaccines, Saudi Arabia and European Union barred travellers who have been vaccinated with Sinopharm/Sinovac.

Despite Beijing's aggressive vaccine diplomacy, countries in the ASEAN bloc have turned down the offer and signed deals for other vaccines since there is no transparency in the development and efficacy of Chinese vaccines.