Some small European governments are heading to China to get vaccines against Covid-19, as European Union recruitment stumbles and production hiccups from Western vaccine manufacturers make it difficult for the continent to fight the pandemic.
The trend could increase China’s influence in the region, as it campaigns to present itself as a reliable ally in the fight against the coronavirus that was first detected on its soil.
The European Union, which buys vaccines on behalf of its 27 member states, has authorized three shots fired in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. But the block took a long time to sign contracts and authorize the shots, while manufacturers have struggled to deliver the promised doses. Scarcity has been even worse in non-EU countries.
So far, it is mainly the smaller nations on the margins of the bloc that have turned to Beijing for help. However, as voter frustrations increase, older members are now considering the two vaccines in China and one developed in Russia.
On 31 January, German Health Minister Jens Spahn called on the EU to approve the move by Chinese group Sinopharm if it is considered safe and effective. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz then said the company should manufacture its shots in his country.