China accepts first foreign Covid-19 vaccines in deal with Germany

BioNTech shots will be made available to German citizens after an agreement reached during last month’s visit to Beijing by Olaf Scholz

Berlin is pressing for the mRNA vaccine to be extended to non-German foreigners living in China

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A batch of BioNTech vaccines against Covid-19 is on its way to China. Photo: DPA

Published: 12:07pm, 22 Dec 2022Updated: 2:46pm, 22 Dec 2022

German expatriates will be the initial recipients of the first foreign-made Covid-19 vaccine to be delivered to China.

A spokesperson for the German government said a batch of BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines is on its way to China. No other details were available on the timing and size of the delivery, but Berlin is pushing for non-German foreigners in the country to be allowed access to the shot if they want it.

China agreed to allow the 20,000 German nationals in China to get the shot following a deal during Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Beijing last month. The German leader pressed for Beijing to allow the shot to be made freely available to Chinese citizens as well.

The spokesperson also confirmed that Chinese citizens in Europe can now be vaccinated with China’s Sinovac.

Earlier this month the German health ministry granted a permit for the import of Sinovac so it can be given to Chinese citizens in Germany.

The shot has not been approved for use by Europe’s drug regulator, but the World Health Organization has given its green light for its use.