China, which has refused mRNA vaccines... Will it accept the EU's 'free offer'?

Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] The European Union (EU) has reportedly expressed its willingness to provide free vaccines to China, where COVID-19 is rapidly spreading.

On the 3rd (local time), the Financial Times (FT) reported that multiple officials from the EU Commission (EC) stated this. According to the FT, the vaccine provision is part of an EU-level response plan prepared by Stella Kyriakides, the EU Commissioner for Health. The EU Commission is also known to have conveyed its intention to assist China in responding to COVID-19 over the past few days, including vaccine donations and the provision of medical information. However, details such as the timing and quantity of vaccine delivery and China’s response have not been disclosed.

This decision appears to be in response to the recent sharp increase in COVID-19 cases nationwide following China’s sudden shift to a 'With COVID' policy. Until now, China has only approved domestically developed inactivated vaccines, 'Sinovac' and 'Sinopharm,' and has blocked the import of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines developed overseas. According to Taiwanese media, even experts within China have acknowledged that inactivated vaccines have limited effectiveness in preventing infection and are less effective than mRNA vaccines. Despite this situation, as news of China easing its quarantine regulations spread, countries including South Korea have rapidly moved to strengthen quarantine measures for arrivals from China.