China’s ambassador to Brazil, Yang Wanming, is calling for a “healthier climate” in bilateral relations, days after the Brazilian president made remarks widely seen as offensive to the Asian nation.
At a virtual conference on 14 May, Yang (pictured above, right) called “unfair and unfounded” accusations and criticisms from the Brazilian government that relate the Asian country to the pandemic.
Last week, President Jair Bolsonaro (pictured above, left) said that the Covid pandemic is the result of a “biological war” by a country which is “growing the most” economically, though without naming China.
Wanming asked for help from the National Congress to “make the environment healthier between Brazil and China”, addressing the president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Brazilian Parliament, Aécio Neves.
Recently, the Chinese diplomat also met with Foreign Affairs minister Carlos França and the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga.
CoronaVac Deliveries to Brazil Government to be on Track in May
“Brazil continues to be a priority for China in trade relations and for receiving IFA (ingredients) to produce vaccines. But the environment between the two countries has to be healthy ”, warned the ambassador.
Chinese laboratory Sinovac has readied 10,000 liters of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient to be sent to Brazil.
But the IFA can only be sent when the Chinese government authorizes the shipment and the Chinese ambassador pledged to act personally for the quick release of the IFA within 48 hours, while denying a diplomatic and political crisis with Brazil.
Yang said that China has already exported more than 300 million doses of vaccine to about 100 countries. “There is no retaliation,” said the Chinese ambassador.
The ambassador also argued that the United States and the European Union should expand the export of vaccines to poor and developing countries.
The ambassador advocated an opening of consultation at the World Trade Organization that leads accessibility to the poorest and developing countries to inputs and vaccines, with an eventual break of patents.
