MoU on Cooperation for COVID-19 Vaccine between Sinopharm Group and Incepta Vaccine Ltd. Signed in Dhaka today
Oru Leonard
The Signing Ceremony of the MoU on Cooperation for COVID-19 Vaccine between Sinopharm Group and Incepta Vaccine Ltd. was held both online and onsite in Dhaka and Beijing today 16th August, 2021,
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Mr. Li Jiming attended the ceremony onsite and delivered a speech. Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, Mr. Zahid Maleque, Minister of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, Mr. Mahbub Uz Zaman, Ambassador of Bangladesh to China, together with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of China, and Chairman of Sinopharm Group and Incepta Vaccine Ltd., as well as media friends from both countries also attended the ceremony.
Ambassador Li Jiming expressed congratulations to Sinopharm Group and Incepta Vaccine Ltd. for the signing of the MoU. He pointed out as the virus continued to mutate and wreak havoc, putting it under control remained our top priority. In the battle, vaccines are of vital importance. However, the immunization gap remains a prominent challenge to the world and deserves high attention from the international community.
Ambassador Li retrospect at the 73rd World Health Assembly held in May last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping solemnly announced that Chinese vaccines will be made a global public good as China’s contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries. China is steadily delivering on this commitment and solidarity and cooperation is the only right choice to win this fight.
Ambassador Li also reiterated that China does not oppose origin studies based on science, but oppose origin studies manipulated by politics. And he thanked Bangladesh for respecting science, multilateralism and justice, and pointed out the anti-pandemic cooperation between China and Bangladesh would become stronger and more fruitful, thus further contributing to the global fight against COVID-19.
Ambassador Li also emphasized that in carrying out vaccine cooperation, China has no political motive or economic calculations, and China does not attach any political strings. The only purpose of China is to make vaccines a global public good that truly serves the people’s interests and help the world defeat the pandemic at an early date. To this end, China will take further actions. China will continue increasing production capacity steadily, providing more accessible and affordable vaccines to meet the needs of developing countries, and supporting the WTO in making an early decision on IP waiver.
Bangladesh foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen and Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mr. Zahid Maleque, also attended the ceremony and delivered speeches. They saw China as Bangladesh’s most trusted and dependable development partner, and spoke highly of this MoU signing and vaccines co-production. They would work assiduously to fight against the pandemic and further strengthen the friendship of the two countries.
The signing of the MoU symbolizes the beginning of the local production of Sinopharm vaccines in Bangladesh cooperated by Sinopharm, Incepta Vaccine Ltd. and Directorate General of Health Services of the Bangladesh Government.
