Accusing China of ‘vaccine diplomacy’ is simply groundless

In this Dec 6 photo released by the Indonesian presidential palace, Chinese company Sinovac’s vaccine is being loaded onto an Indonesian plane at the Beijing International Airport. — AP

DESPITE the good news that Covid-19 vaccines have been effective in trials, the life-saving products have, time and again, been politicised by certain Western politicians, who portray China’s vaccines as a bargaining chip to expand political influence.

“Vaccine diplomacy” is the term Western critics often like to use. They claim that the vaccine has become a tool to increase China’s global influence and iron out geopolitical issues.