2nd Exchange onASEAN-China Vaccine Friend Cooperation Held by ACC

On 30 March 2021, the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) held the 2nd Exchange on the ASEAN-China Vaccine Friend Cooperation. Officials from theChinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Health Commission,and the National Medical Products Administration, representatives from Sinopharm, Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and CanSinoBIO, experts and scholars attended the meeting. Representatives from embassies of ASEAN Member States (AMS) joined the event.

Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, delivered a welcome speech and stated that ACC willcontinue to play its bridging role by organizing more activities to push forward anti-epidemic cooperation between ASEAN and China for the benefit of the people in the region. Ms. Wang Hongliu, Director of the General Affairs and Coordination Division of ACC, chairedthe exchange.

Ms. Fang Hong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese MFA, reviewed the joint efforts and achievements made by ASEAN and China in the fight against the pandemic since the outbreak of COVID-19. She pointed out that ASEAN has always been a priority inChina's diplomacy. As State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has repeatedly emphasized, China willcontinue to provide anti-epidemic support to AMS based on their needs. China has launched an International Travel Health Certificate and is willing to work with AMS to promote the implementation ofglobal mutual recognition of health codes to facilitate cross-border movement of people and encourageeconomic recovery in the region. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN. China wishes to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with AMS through the platform of Vaccine Friend Cooperation to jointly build a global community of health for all. The representative from the Department of Consular Affairs of MFA reviewedthe work progress made in the global mutual recognition of health codes.

The officialfrom the Ministry of Science and Technology of China briefed on the progress of China’s COVID-19 vaccine R&D and international cooperation. The representative from the National Immunization Program of theChinese Centreof Disease Control and Prevention gave an overview of the progress of vaccination in China. The representative from theNational Medical Products Administration presentedthe relevant regulations on vaccine administration in China. Representatives from Sinopharm, Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and CanSinoBIOgave brief introductions on the latest development of theirvaccine research.The Chinese participants expressed willingness to work closely with AMS for rapid and effectivecontainment of the epidemic.

Mr. See Chee Kong, Minister of the Malaysian Embassy in China, Mr. Victor Hardjono, Minister Counsellor of the Indonesian Embassy, Ms. Quek Shei Ting, Counsellor of the Singaporean Embassy, Mr. Tran Thanh Hai, Counsellor of the Viet Nam Embassy and other AMS diplomats expressed appreciation to the Chinese MFA and ACC for organizing this event and stressed that in the face of COVID-19, vaccine cooperation is of utmost importance for all AMS. ASEAN looksforward to reinforcing collaboration with China on vaccines and related fields to bring the epidemic under control and revivethe economy at an early date.

During the exchange, the participants had a spiritedand in-depthexchange of views on issues of common concern among AMS such as vaccine R&D, production and procurement, the resumption of personnel, economic and trade exchanges, and mutual certification of vaccines.