Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday welcomed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Beijing, with both countries seeking to deepen economic cooperation on a trip that has prompted criticism over Berlin’s growing reliance on China’s power.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced an agreement to let expatriates in China use the Covid-19 vaccine from Germany’s BioNTech and has pressed for Beijing to allow the shot to be made freely available to Chinese citizens.
During his visit to Beijing, Scholz said China and Germany had different approaches to fighting the virus but had a joint responsibility to eliminate it.
BioNTech would be the first non-Chinese coronavirus vaccine to be administered in China as Beijing has hitherto insisted on administering domestically produced vaccines.Scholz, who promised a “candid exchange” with Chinese leaders on a number of issues – including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – said he was seeking a deeper economic relationship with Beijing but expected equal treatment.
Credit: rfi
