China offers to ‘boost cooperation' with Argentina on vaccines

Chinese President Xi Jinping has told President Alberto Fernández that his country is "ready to work" with Argentina to boost cooperation and advance development of vaccines against coronavirus.

The Chinese leader made the remarks in an exchange of letters between the two leaders, as negotiations with the Argentine government continue for access to vaccines from Chinese labs Sinovac and Sinopharma (the former via São Paulo public lab Butantan, while Fundación Huésped is carrying out clinical tests in Argentina on the latter vaccine).

The Fernández administration is seeking a total of 15 million doses, according to reports.

"China is ready to boost its cooperation with Argentina in the research, development and application of vaccines against Covid-19 and will continue to offer the South American country support and aid according to its capacity within the anti-pandemic struggle," said Xi Jinping in his missive, as quoted by China’s Xinhua news agency.

Analysts see the letter as especially favouring the Sinopharma deal, which the Fernández administration is hoping to clinch shortly. Sources say the first delivery of cargo could take place before the month is out.

Last week the Casa Rosada formalised the removal of Argentina’s Ambassador to China Luis María Kreckler, precisely because he was failing to negotiate the purchase of Chinese vaccines.

These negotiations now pass to new ambassador Sabino Vaca Narvaja, the son of the historic Montoneros leader Fernando Vaca Narvaja and the uncle of Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s granddaughter Helena.

– TIMES/NA