Chinese envoy on vaccines: Don't be fooled by western media

Describing this country's decades-old diplomatic relationship with his homeland as "real gold, which can withstand the test of fire," China's Ambassador to TT Fang Qiu on Tuesday called on people to see his country through their own eyes and not through the lens of certain western media.

The ambassador, in a media release, said China's President Xi Jinping's telephone meeting with the Prime Minister on March 16 was proof that both leaders share the same basic principle of putting people first.

Citing vaccine co-operation as one of the main topics Rowley and Jinping discussed, Qiu said China remains committed to facilitating vaccine accessibility to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

He said when Jinping declared that Chinese covid19 vaccines will be made a global public good, contributing to vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries including TT, this was not just mere lip-service.

In less than a week, Qiu said, the Chinese side followed up by confirming 100,000 doses of Chinese covid19 vaccines to be donated to TT.

"This is another example which highlights the China-TT friendship and partnership which shines even brighter against the pandemic," Qiu said.

On May 7, after going through all assessments, including an on-site inspections of its production facility, the Sinopharm Covid19 vaccine was approved for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the World Health Organization (WHO), paving the way for its global use.

Qiu said WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave his own seal of approval for the Sinopharm vaccine because of its “safety, efficacy and quality,” and on the basis of all available scientific evidence, the WHO recognised the vaccine's efficacy for symptomatic and hospitalised disease was estimated at 79 per cent.

Yet still, Qiu pointed out, certain western media continue to paint a different picture of China and its people.

He said at this crucial point, where science and reason should be leading the way in the fight against the pandemic, any kind of politicisation and stigmatisation of vaccines should be opposed, as this “political virus” can cost lives just as the covid19 virus does.

Qiu said he has noted people making negative comments on China-related matters which he attributed to their being either misled by some western media who have been trumpeting an “Anti-China Syndrome,” or not doing any fact-checking.

He thanked local authorities such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs for being at the forefront in liaising with the Chinese Government to ensure the 100,000 Sinopharm vaccines arrive in TT in the shortest possible time.

“Real gold can withstand the test of fire. Despite some doubts and even smear (campaigns) driven by hidden agendas, I have full confidence that with this real gold partnership and friendship between our countries and peoples, China and TT will continue to join hands to defeat the virus together and advance post-pandemic common interests in the near future," Qiu said.