China's Covid vaccine diplomacy falters amid low jab efficacy rate

China's efforts to establish itself as a responsible global actor by supplying COVID-19 vaccines to various countries amid the pandemic has faltered due to the inadequate efficacy of its vaccines in comparison to vaccines supplied by other global players including the US and India.

According to UNICEF, China's monthly vaccine exports fell by 50 per cent during November-December 2021, apparently on account of low efficacy.

Although Beijing made only meagre donations to COVAX in comparison to other suppliers, it tried to project itself as a health leader. Other factors responsible for negating the results of Chinese vaccine diplomacy were its focus on sales over donations as well as the explicit/implied requests for support on sensitive issues such as Taiwan and human rights issues in Hong Kong/Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

Over 90 per cent of China's global vaccine supplies have been in the form of sales.

China exported nearly 1.3 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021, primarily to low and middle-income countries. However, it turns out that the large majority of these exports were not donations, but instead, commercial sales, Global Strat View reported.

Out of 1.3 billion COVID-19 doses exported, a staggering 1.69 billion vaccines until February 14, 2022, have been in the form of sales, while only a meagre 184 million have been donations.

China's image took a severe hit globally in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic breakout in Wuhan with China taking to repairing its global image by engaging in what has come to be known as "COVID vaccine diplomacy' but it has been brought into question for its efficacy.