Open Access BASE2021

China's Vaccine Diplomacy in Malaysia: Problems and Prospects ; ISEAS Perspective ; Issue: 2021 No. 121

Peter T. C. Chang

Open Access

Abstract

Malaysia's National Immunization Programme (NIP) chose Pfizer, AstraZeneca (AZ) and Sinovac as its vaccine portfolio. At the outset, Beijing assured Putrajaya of prioritized allocation and timely delivery of its vaccines. However, issues of vaccine effectiveness have affected the agreement. In July, Sinovac was removed from Malaysia's mainstream vaccination rollout. Beijing's campaign also faces competition from geopolitical rivals who have stepped up their vaccine donations to Malaysia. Despite these setbacks, China's vaccine diplomacy has two redeeming features: a. The first pertains to prevailing criticism of 'vaccine nationalism' directed at the wealthier nations. By contrast, though not considered the best, China's vaccines remain accessible, ensuring a fairer allotment to the developing world. b. Secondly, aside from one-off donations, the United States' longer-term commitment to aid countries like Malaysia to contain the pandemic remains unclear. China's current campaign can in contrast be seen as part of Beijing's broader and comprehensive strategy to strengthen global public health governance within the Health Silk Road (HSR) initiative.

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