# First foreign COVID vaccines head to China from Germany Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-12-21 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Berlin sends first BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to China for Meta Description: Germany sends initial shipment of BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to China for German expatriates, paving the way for possible access to foreigners if approved. URL: https://financedigest.com/first-foreign-covid-vaccines-head-to-china-from-germanyhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-12-21t154558z3lynxmpeibk0fyrtroptp4health-coronavirus-1736814697647-compressed.jpg) By Thomas Escritt and Alexander Ratz BERLIN (Reuters) -Berlin has sent its first batch of BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to China to be administered initially to German expatriates, a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday, the first foreign coronavirus vaccine to be delivered to the country. No details were available on the timing and size of the delivery, although the spokesperson said Berlin is pushing for foreigners other than German nationals, estimated at about 20,000, to be allowed access to the shot if they want it. The shipment comes after [China agreed to allow German nationals in China to get the shot following a deal](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-no-china-no-deal-bid-to-break-sovereign-debt-logjams-gets-weary-thumbs-up.html "Analysis-No China, no deal: Bid to break sovereign debt logjams gets weary thumbs up") during Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit in Beijing last month, with the German leader pressing for Beijing to allow the shot to be made freely available to Chinese citizens as well. In a letter to be sent to German citizens in mainland China, the government said it would offer basic immunisations and booster [shots of vaccines](https://www.financedigest.com/germanys-vaccine-panel-says-one-covid-shot-enough-for-children.html "Germany’s vaccine panel says one COVID shot enough for children") approved for use in the European Union for free to anyone over 12 years of age. Family members of other nationalities would not be included. Vaccinations for children under 12 may follow at a later date. We are [working on the possibility that besides Germans](https://www.financedigest.com/low-use-of-shortened-work-hours-points-to-mild-german-recession-ifo.html "Low use of shortened work hours points to mild German recession – Ifo") also other foreigners can be vaccinated with BioNTech,” the spokesperson told journalists in Berlin. The shots will be delivered to German [companies in China](https://www.financedigest.com/companies-in-china-distance-themselves-from-taiwan-amid-pelosi-backlash.html "Companies in China distance themselves from Taiwan amid Pelosi backlash") as well as embassy locations and talks are underway with other EU governments about getting them to citizens of other nationalities, a source familiar with the situation said. China would [need to approve expanding access beyond German nationals](https://www.financedigest.com/if-the-nation-backs-fintech-we-need-to-address-a-few-things.html "If the nation backs FinTech, we need to address a few things"), the source said. In return, [Chinese citizens in Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/power-squeeze-curbs-chinese-growth-leaves-europe-in-a-gas-bind.html "Power squeeze curbs Chinese growth, leaves Europe in a gas bind") can be vaccinated with China’s SinoVac, the spokesperson said. The comment comes after a report earlier this [month that Germany’s health ministry had granted a permit allowing China’s](https://www.financedigest.com/yangtze-tributary-runs-dry-as-china-faces-another-month-of-drought.html "Yangtze tributary runs dry as China faces another month of drought") Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to be imported to Germany to be given to Chinese citizens in that country. The shot has not been approved for use by Europe’s drug regulator, but the [World Health](https://www.financedigest.com/breaking-the-stigma-men-and-mental-health-in-the-world-of-investments.html "Breaking the Stigma: Men and Mental Health in the World of Investments") Organization has given its green light for its use. Beijing has so far insisted on using only domestically produced vaccines, which are not based on the Western mRNA technology but on more traditional technologies. The shipment comes amid Beijing dismantling its strict “zero-COVID” regime of lockdowns, which has led to a [surge of cases that caught a fragile health system](https://www.financedigest.com/automotive-48v-system-market-sales-revenue-to-substantially-surge-in-the-next-ten-years.html "Automotive 48V System Market Sales Revenue to Substantially Surge in the Next Ten Years") unprepared. [Experts predict that the country](https://www.financedigest.com/2021-aml-trend-foresights-for-28-experts-from-17-different-countries.html "2021 AML Trend Foresights for 28 Experts from 17 Different Countries ") of 1.4 billion people could face more than a million COVID deaths next year. Allowing German expats access to a Western shot is a big gesture to Berlin, reflecting Beijing’s effort to strengthen ties with EU’s biggest [economy after years of tensions over trade](https://www.financedigest.com/at-chinas-largest-trade-fair-exporters-worry-about-world-economy.html "At China’s largest trade fair, exporters worry about world economy") and climate between the two countries. Shares in BioNTech rose on news of the shipment, closing 2.3% higher in Frankfurt while Pfizer shares in New York were up 1.25% in [late](https://www.financedigest.com/stellantis-unveils-ram-ev-pickup-to-debut-late-in-2024-at-new-york-auto-show.html "Stellantis unveils Ram EV pickup, to debut late in 2024, at New York auto show") morning New York trade. BioNTech was not immediately available to comment on the situation on Wednesday. NO WESTERN SHOTS China has nine domestically developed [COVID vaccines](https://www.financedigest.com/fda-advisers-back-the-same-covid-vaccine-for-initial-shots-boosters.html "FDA advisers back the same COVID vaccine for initial shots, boosters") approved for use, more than any other country. But none has been updated to target the highly infectious Omicron variant, as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have for boosters in many [developed countries](https://www.financedigest.com/what-its-like-for-women-entrepreneurs-in-developing-countries.html "What it’s Like for Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries"). The two [shots developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-cdc-signs-off-on-moderna-jj-covid-19-vaccine-boosters-mix-and-match-shots.html "U.S. CDC signs off on Moderna, J&J COVID-19 vaccine boosters, mix-and-match shots") are the most widely used around the world. Early on in the pandemic, BioNTech struck a [deal with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical with a view to supply the shots to greater China](https://www.financedigest.com/us-house-committee-chair-concerned-by-tesla-deals-in-china.html "US House committee chair ‘concerned’ by Tesla deals in China"). While the shots became available in [Hong Kong](https://www.financedigest.com/hong-kong-finance-official-to-make-first-visit-to-britain-in-three-years.html "Hong Kong finance official to make first visit to Britain in three years"), Macau and Taiwan, the regulatory review for mainland China has not been concluded. BioNTech has said that [decision was up to Chinese regulators and has not given a reason for the delay](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-ofcom-delays-bt-fibre-pricing-decision-after-ceo-remarks.html "UK’s Ofcom delays BT fibre pricing decision after CEO remarks"). [China’s zero-COVID policy and lockdown measures have kept death](https://www.financedigest.com/china-records-worlds-first-human-death-from-h3n8-bird-flu-who.html "China records world’s first human death from H3N8 bird flu -WHO") and infection rates minimal over the past months but caused massive disruptions both domestically and in global trade and supply chains. [China uses a narrow definition of COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/who-urges-china-to-share-specific-data-regularly-on-covid-situation.html "WHO urges China to share specific data regularly on COVID situation") deaths and reported no new fatalities for Tuesday, even crossing one off its overall tally since the pandemic began, now at 5,241 – a fraction of the tolls of many much less populous countries. The National [Health Commission said on Tuesday only deaths caused](https://www.financedigest.com/employer-expectations-and-technology-causing-health-deficit-amongst-employees.html "Employer Expectations And Technology Causing Health Deficit Amongst Employees") by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as COVID deaths. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt, Alexander Ratz and Christian Kraemer; additional reporting by Danilo Masoni in Milan and Amanda Cooper in London;Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Josephine Mason and David Evans) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---