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Covid vaccine UAE: China will help world fight coronavirus, says envoy

Dubai - China’s vaccine developers have strictly followed scientific rules and regulatory requirements, Ni Jian says.

The UAE’s approval for the Chinese Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine and strong cooperation in healthcare have pushed the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level, a top envoy said.

“China has always attached great importance to the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. China’s vaccine developers have strictly followed scientific rules and regulatory requirements, pushed forward vaccine research and development in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and engaged in international cooperation in accordance with international best practices. The Phase 3 clinical trials of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine have been carried out in the UAE, with 31,000 volunteers from 125 countries participating in it. The UAE’s official registration of Sinopharm’s vaccine fully demonstrates the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness,” Chinese ambassador to the UAE Ni Jian told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.

“China is ready to make joint efforts with the UAE and the international community to fight Covid-19, and contribute to promote equitable distribution of vaccines globally and ensure its affordability and accessibility in developing countries.”

‘Good comrades-in-arms’

Jian noted that in the face of the sudden outbreak of Covid-19, China and the UAE have stood firmly together and fought the virus.

“We have engaged in efficient cooperation in joint prevention and control, information sharing, vaccine research and development, healthcare etc. As good comrades-in-arms and partners fighting on the frontlines, we have set an example of international cooperation against Covid-19. This is a vivid depiction of the common destiny between our two countries. The high-level cooperation in healthcare has deepened our mutual trust, made our relations even more brotherly, and propelled China-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.”

$35.47b trade in 9 months

Jian said that despite the impact of Covid-19 on global trade, the bilateral trade volumes between China and the UAE reached $35.47 billion in the first nine months of 2020 – a 1.8 per cent increase compared to the same period of 2019.

“Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the cooperation between China and UAE has not stalled, rather it has developed in width and depth, and embraced a new starting point. Our two leaderships have maintained close communication and coordination. Our cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative is getting more solid. The world’s largest single-site solar power project located at Sweihan has been successfully commissioned. All four packages of Etihad Rail stage two undertaken by Chinese companies are progressing smoothly. The two countries also held a slew of activities, including the first China-UAE Economic and Trade Digital Expo and the China-UAE Culture Week via video link.”

Turning challenges into opportunities

Jian said in a post-Covid-19 world, China and the UAE will jointly turn challenges into opportunities, and take the practical cooperation in business, trade, investment, culture and education to a higher level.

“We will continue to synergise the Belt and Road Initiative with the UAE’s development strategies and cooperation initiatives, in order to increase our policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, financial integration and people-to-people ties. We will advance major projects, increase mutual investment, promote a deep integration of our industrial chain, supply chain and value chain, and rationalise regional economic cycle.”

The ambassador said China is ready to join the UAE in the new technological and industrial revolution.

“By leveraging our complementary strengths and focusing on win-win cooperation, we can create more cooperation highlights in smart city, 5G, AI, e-commerce, big data, blockchain, telemedicine and so on, adding more fresh momentum to our economic and social development.”

Chinese taught in 118 UAE schools

The ambassador underlined the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to teach Chinese in UAE schools is gradually becoming a reality.

“The Chinese language courses are being taught in 118 schools across the UAE. Chinese School Dubai, the first Chinese curriculum school outside of China, has been founded and started the new term.”

Jian said that with more than 200,000 people, the UAE hosts the largest number of Chinese businesspersons, workers and tourists in the Middle East.

“They have made great contributions to the UAE’s economic development.”

Amid the pandemic, the Chinese community have followed the local regulations and guidelines. “They unite in solidarity, help each other, and remain confident in tiding over adversity.”

Bright future

Jian pointed out that both the countries are an integral part of each other’s development blueprints.

“In 2021, the UAE will celebrate its 50th anniversary, and Dubai will host a grand world Expo. The UAE will make a solid step in the path of a diversified and knowledge-based economy. China will begin its 14th Five-Year Plan and a new journey towards a modern socialist country, and foster an open economy following a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. Our future cooperation has bright prospects and a lot to be accomplished,” the ambassador added.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com