China – In the fight against the corona pandemic, China’s head of state and party leader Xi Jinping has campaigned for exceptions to patents for vaccines.
In his speech at the summit of the major economic powers (G20) in Rome on Saturday, the president said via video that the World Trade Organization (WTO) should decide on this soon. The WTO should promote the transfer of technology to developing countries.
The WTO intends to discuss the proposal again in November. But development organizations cite Germany, Great Britain and the EU as the brakes, while South Africa, India and others support the proposal. The federal government argues that a suspension of patents could slow down companies’ willingness to innovate.
According to Xi Jinping, China has already delivered 1.6 billion vaccine doses to more than 100 countries and is likely to reach 2 billion this year. The People’s Republic also produces vaccines together with 16 countries. He called for vaccines to be recognized by each other. Developing countries should also receive financial aid for the procurement of vaccination doses, among other things.
Because of the corona pandemic, Xi Jinping and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin did not personally travel to Rome. With a view to the world climate meeting from Sunday in Glasgow, the President reaffirmed China’s goals of increasing its emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon dioxide neutrality by 2060. The EU and other G20 countries are urging China to strive for the target as early as 2050.
But Xi Jinping called on rich countries to “set an example in reducing emissions.” You should take care of the developing world, meet their financial pledges, and help them with technology. The G20 should work for equitable development and work more closely together. Without responding to the criticism of several G20 countries against China, Xi Jinping turned against the formation of blocks: “Small artificial circles or even ideological lines will only create hurdles and increase obstacles.”
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