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China open to 'vaccine cooperation' with Eastern Europe, says Xi Jinping

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 2/10/2021 11:02:51 AM

Beijing, Feb 9 China is ready to consider “vaccine cooperation” with Central and Eastern European countries, President Xi Jinping said Tuesday in a meeting held by video link with European leaders. Serbia has received 1 million doses of a Chinese-developed coronavirus vaccine, and Hungarian and Chinese vaccine developers are cooperating, Xi said, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Beijing will “actively consider such cooperation” with other governments, Xinhua quoted the president as saying during the China-CEEC summit. Two vaccines made by state-owned developers, Sinopharm and Sinovac, have received conditional approval from China. Deals to supply millions of doses have been reached with Turkey, Hungary and at least eight other foreign countries. Beijing is trying to nurture relations with Central and Eastern European governments as part of efforts to expand markets for exports and for Chinese construction and other companies to operate abroad. The focus on Eastern Europe through the China-CEEC group, also known as “17 plus 1,” has prompted unease among France, Germany and other Western European governments that Beijing is trying to make political inroads into the European Union.