China and India, where the conflict that started in the border conflict has spread to the trade war.
These two countries faced this time with the’Corona 19 Vaccine’. It’s in Asia. India has not developed a vaccine, but is one of the major producers.
India [AFP=연합뉴스]
– It is definitely China that first started’vaccine diplomacy’ in Asia.
China has been promoting to Asian countries that its own vaccine is “a’inactivated vaccine’ developed in a traditional way,” and “is safer than a vaccine from Pfizer or Modena using new technology (mRNA).” It has been emphasized over and over again that it can be stored in a regular refrigerator with an image of 2 to 8 degrees and the cost is also low. At the same time, it promised’full support’ to Asian countries.
Suddenly, India began to emerge.
![Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Modi [AP=연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202102/12/2dbd495a-ad0f-4c5a-82eb-4cc6379916b1.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Modi [AP=연합뉴스]
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India’s domestic pharmaceutical company Serum Institute signed a contract with AstraZeneca to distribute the vaccine to several South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Maldives, and Nepal, for free. The Serum Institute is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, boasting a huge amount of production.
The Indian government is reaching out not only to South Asian countries, but also to Southeast Asian countries close to China and African countries.
China’s planting has become uncomfortable, but is it because of an urgent heart? Countries that were closer to China also accepted India’s favor. Nepal, which is in a border dispute with India, has reached out to India’s vaccine, and so is Bangladesh. Bangladesh originally tried to accept the Chinese Synovac vaccine, but turned to India when Synovac requested that the company share the cost of the clinical trial.
![Pakistan accepts Chinese vaccine [AP=연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202102/12/15a1049c-7e1e-4248-8d56-f0c836db28f0.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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Pakistan accepts Chinese vaccine [AP=연합뉴스]
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Then, the nervous war between the two countries grew deeper.
The Chinese side criticized “India is pouring cold water on the quarantine efforts of the Chinese government in South Asia” (Global Times). It is criticism that India is trying to monopolize the South Asian vaccine market. India is also not still. India is criticizing “the Chinese government is only interested in expanding its influence using vaccines.” It is a warning not to reach out to South Asia.
Foreign media analyzes that India and China, which have influences in South Asia and Southeast Asia, respectively, are conducting competitive’vaccine diplomacy’ in order to put more countries on their side in Asia.
![India Kashmir [신화=연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202102/12/5ca285fb-b7b0-47e4-8972-8684d8c8e7ba.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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India Kashmir [신화=연합뉴스]
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It is not yet known who will be the’vaccine winner’ in Asia. However, several concerns arise. “It is positive in that it alleviates the imbalance between the supply and demand of vaccines in rich and poor countries, but there are many areas of concern in that the two countries are aiming to’expand impact’ with vaccines,” (CNBC) explains.
Reporter Lim Ju-ri [email protected]
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