G20: in videoconference, Putin and Xi demand mutual recognition of vaccines
Speech by Russian President Vladimir Poutine, from Moscow, on the occasion of the G20 summit, in Rome, this Saturday, October 30, 2021. AP - Evgeniy Paulin
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China and Russia are largely absent from the first face-to-face summit organized by the G20 since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, this weekend in Rome.
But Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin each prepared a speech for their counterparts this Saturday, October 30.
Both pleaded for mutual recognition of vaccines.
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The Chinese and Russian presidents would like, they made it known publicly this Saturday to the other heads of state and government of the G20, that their vaccines against the Covid, and the vaccination certificates attached to it, are better considered, in particular between members of the G20, group of the twenty richest countries on the planet.
"
Despite the decisions of the G20, all the countries which need it cannot have access to the vaccines
" developed to deal with this syndemic, observes Vladimir Poutine.
"
This is in particular due to unfair competition, to protectionism
", to the fact that "
some States, in particular those of the G20, are not ready for mutual recognition of vaccines and vaccination certificates
", according to the Russian president.
► Read also: Vladimir Putin calls on the Russians to be vaccinated
Russia, recalls the leader of the Federation from Moscow, was the first nation in the world to approve a vaccine against Covid-19, called Sputnik V. This vaccine has been approved in 70 countries, and "
has shown a high level of safety and efficiency
”, he defends, in a speech broadcast by Russian public television.
President Xi Jinping addressed the 16th G20 Leaders' Summit via video link in Beijing on Saturday.
pic.twitter.com/wcxK37z0SB
- Zhang Heqing 张 和 清 (@zhang_heqing) October 30, 2021
From Beijing, the same story goes: Xi Jinping also asked this Saturday for a form of reciprocity, "
mutual recognition of vaccines,
" according to statements reported by state television CCTV.
Sinopharm and Sinovac are used in 70 and 37 countries and territories around the world, including several countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, according to Agence France-Presse which has carried out its own count.
The Reuters agency recalls that Xi Jinping has not left his country, very much on the spread of the virus beyond the borders between States, since the beginning of the year 2020. But also that the new head of the Japanese government , Fumio Kishida, has also decided not to attend his very first G20 summit.
► To reread: Xi, absent from the G20 and the COP26, remains in his health bubble
To date, the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved Sinopharm and Sinovac, while Sputnik V is under review.
But neither the United States, nor the European Medicines Agency, nor countries of the European Union such as France, have approved the Chinese and Russian vaccines, pushing those concerned to revaccinate themselves.
As for Moscow and Beijing, they do not recognize any foreign vaccine.
With agencies
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G20
Vaccines
Russia
China
Xi Jinping
Vladimir Poutine
Coronavirus
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