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Coronavirus China
ChinaDiplomacy

Coronavirus: mainland China set to approve BioNTech vaccine for foreign residents

  • German chancellor hopeful mRNA Covid jab use can be expanded across mainland
  • Beijing’s approval for BioNTech shots has been stalled for more than a year

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Germany’s chancellor has announced limited use for the BioNTech vaccine in China for foreign residents, but he said he’s hopeful approval can be expanded. Photo: dpa
Josephine Ma
Beijing is expected to approve the use of the BioNTech mRNA Covid vaccines for foreign residents on the mainland, according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who led a large business delegation to China.

“I talked to the premier and the president about working more closely together. This would mean allowing BioNTech for expatriates in China and approving it within China. This would only be a first step, but I hope that the circle of those entitled to use it will be enlarged to the point where BioNTech will be available for anyone who wants it in China,” Scholz said in a joint news conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

BioNTech CEO Uğur Şahin was among Scholz’s business delegation, which also included senior executives from Adidas, Deutsche Bank, Siemens, Volkswagen and BMW, chemicals giants BASF and Wacker Chemie, and pharmaceutical firms Bayer and Merck.
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Three years into the pandemic, China has not given any regulatory approval to foreign-made Covid vaccines in the mainland – even though BioNTech struck a collaboration deal with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical in 2020 to supply its mRNA Covid shots in Greater China. The vaccines are now widely used around the world, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Many foreigners on the mainland took the inactivated vaccines developed by Chinese companies, though some were allowed to take BioNTech shots that were available at foreign embassies.

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BioNTech has repeatedly said it hoped to have its mRNA vaccines approved for use across China, but the regulatory review process has been stalled for more than a year.

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