China Supports Indonesia To Become Regional Vaccine Production Center

President Joko Widodo was injected with the COVID-19 vaccine (Photo: Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - The Chinese government supports Indonesia to become a regional vaccine production center so that the two countries can contribute to human health development.

"I have paid attention to the report (Indonesian President Joko Widodo's live broadcast of the Sinovac vaccine). China and Indonesia are important strategic partners," said Chinese Foreign Ministry (MFA) spokesman Zhao Lijian in a written statement received by Antara Beijing, Friday, 15 January.

According to him, the vaccine cooperation between the two countries shows mutual trust in establishing practical and strategic cooperation.

"Therefore, China is ready to increase cooperation in research and development, production and procurement of vaccines," he said.

Previously, China also invited Indonesia to jointly support the availability and affordability of the COVID-19 vaccine in developing countries and Islamic countries.

This statement was conveyed (MFA) in response to the issuance of the halal certificate of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) on the vaccine developed by Sinovac.

Sinovac itself is increasingly confident that the vaccine it developed after the injection of President Jokowi received public attention, not only in Indonesia but also in various countries.

In fact, this incident did not escape the spotlight of the media in China.

The CoronaVac vaccine (made by Sinovac) is effective and safe, said Sinovac Biontech CEO Yin Weidong at a press conference in Beijing after witnessing President Jokowi's vaccination on Wednesday, January 13.

According to him, the vaccine, which is currently undergoing the third phase of clinical trials in Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia, has shown varying results depending on the conditions of the people of the three countries.

He mentioned that in Turkey the efficacy was 91.3 percent, while in China and Indonesia they could overcome mild infections, 78 percent and 65.3 percent, respectively.