China’s COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives in Malaysia

China’s COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives in Malaysia

The first batch of 200 litres of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Life Sciences Co Ltd arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 9am on 27 February. The vaccine in bulk was officially delivered to Pharmaniaga Bhd. Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing, Senior Minister of Defence YB Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob, Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, Minister of Foreign Affairs YB Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation YB Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar were invited to attend the handover ceremony. Ouyang symbolically handed over the vaccine samples to Ismail Sabri. After the ceremony, Ouyang and Khairy attended a press conference.

Ouyang said that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic more than a year ago, the governments and people of China and Malaysia have worked side by side in fighting the pandemic and working towards economic recovery, which demonstrates the deep friendship between the two countries that have supported each other through thick and thin. During the China State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Malaysia last October, the two sides have reached an important consensus on vaccine cooperation, with Malaysia becoming a priority recipient of China vaccines. The arrival of the first batch of the vaccine in bulk shows the tangible achievements of China-Malaysia vaccine cooperation and represents the deep friendship between the two countries. This batch of vaccines will be filled into more than 300,000 doses of vaccines by Pharmaniaga. It is hoped that the vaccines will bring an end to this devasting pandemic, so that a new chapter in the working life can be started soon.

Ouyang also said that viruses have no borders and human beings all share the same fate. China has firmly supported and taken an active role in the global fight against the pandemic, from providing medical aid, sharing experience with other countries in the fight against the pandemic, to cooperation on vaccines. Every move China makes is an interpretation of the idea of a Community with Shared Future for Mankind. As the pandemic is not yet over, China will continue to work together with other countries, including Malaysia, to strengthen cooperation in various fields such as vaccines, prevention and control, and economic recovery so as to protect people's lives and health, usher in the ultimate victory against the pandemic and create a better tomorrow.

Khairy said that he signed an agreement with China Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang on cooperation in vaccine development last November. Since then, Malaysia and China companies have carried out many collaborations around vaccine procurement and phase III clinical trials. The communication and cooperation between the Malaysia and China governments was crucial and ultimately leading to the smooth arrival of the China-developed vaccines in Malaysia. The arrival of the Sinovac vaccine will be approved by the Malaysian National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency and will be filled locally by Pharmaniaga. The finished product will be available to Malaysian for vaccination, which is believed to play an important role in Malaysia's fight against the pandemic.

Ouyang also introduced the progress of other China-Malaysia vaccine collaborations such as the collaboration with China CanSino Biologics Inc, Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co Ltd and the Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Subsequently, Khairy gave a briefing on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines concerned, the effectiveness of different vaccines, and the vaccine approval process in Malaysia.

China and Malaysia media including Xinhua News Agency, China Central Radio and Television (CCTV) and Phoenix TV, Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA), Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) and Astro Awani reported the ceremony and press conference from the scene, while more than 30 other Malaysia media participated in the press conference via online call. The ceremony and press conference were broadcast live on the Malaysia satellite television channel and social media by RTM.

       (Translated article from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China's website)

中国疫苗抵马

2月27日上午9时，北京科兴中维生物技术有限公司生产的首批200升新冠疫苗半成品运抵马来西亚吉隆坡国际机场，正式交付马来西亚发马公司。中国驻马大使欧阳玉靖，马国防部高级部长沙布里、交通部长魏家祥、外交部长希沙慕丁、科学、工艺及创新部长凯里应邀出席了交接仪式。欧阳大使向沙布里高级部长象征性移交了疫苗样品。仪式后，欧阳大使、凯里部长共同出席了新闻发布会。

欧阳大使在致辞中表示，新冠肺炎疫情暴发以来，中马两国政府和人民在抗疫和恢复经济两条战线上并肩作战，体现了患难与共、守望相助的深情厚谊。去年10月王毅国务委员兼外长访马期间，双方就疫苗合作达成重要共识，马来西亚将成为中国疫苗的优先获得方。今天首批科兴疫苗抵马，让我们看到了中马疫苗合作的成果。这批疫苗半成品将由发马公司灌装成30多万剂疫苗。希望中国疫苗助力马破除疫情阴霾，让马民众的工作生活早日翻开新篇章。

欧阳大使表示，病毒没有国界，人类命运与共。中国始终积极参与和坚定支持全球抗疫，从提供医疗物资援助，同各国分享抗疫经验，到现在的疫苗合作，中国的一举一动都在诠释人类命运共同体理念。疫情尚未结束，中方将继续同包括马来西亚在内的各国携手，加强在疫苗、防控、经济复苏等各领域的合作，共同保护人民的生命安全和身体健康，共同迎来抗疫的最终胜利，共同创造更加美好的明天。

凯里部长在致辞中表示，去年11月，我与中国科技部长王志刚签署了疫苗开发合作协议，之后马中两国企业围绕疫苗采购、三期试验等开展了诸多合作。马中两国政府之间的沟通与合作至关重要，最终促成了中国生产的疫苗顺利运抵马来西亚。此次运抵的中国科兴疫苗将在马国家药剂监管局批准后，由发马公司进行本地灌装，并开始面向马公众接种，相信这将为马来西亚抗击新冠疫情发挥重要作用。

欧阳大使应询介绍了中国康希诺、深圳康泰、中国医学科学院医学生物学研究所等其他中马疫苗合作进展情况。凯里部长应询对有关疫苗安全性及有效性、不同疫苗效力、马方批准流程等进行了介绍。

中国新华社、中央广播电视总台、凤凰卫视，马来西亚国家新闻社、马来西亚广播电视台、Astro Awani等中马两国媒体在现场对仪式及发布会进行了报道，另有30多家马媒体通过视频连线参加了发布会。马来西亚广播电视台在马卫星电视频道及社交媒体对仪式和发布会进行了现场直播。

（摘自中华人民共和国驻马来西亚大使馆网站）