SEPANG, Feb 27 — China today reassured Malaysians that vaccine manufactured by the country is safe and effective as their government requires Chinese vaccine companies to promote vaccine research and development in strict accordance with scientific laws and relevant regulations.

China’s Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said the phase three clinical trials of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine have been carried out in many countries with over 36 millions of doses of the vaccine have been administered in China and abroad.

"The data and result proved that Sinovac vaccine is safe and effective. Besides, it has been deemed halal by the Indonesian authorities.

"I hope this information will infuse more confidence among the Malaysians who will be inoculated with the Sinovac vaccine,” he said at a press conference on the arrival of Sinovac vaccine, here today.

Also present was Coordinating Minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also Science, Technology and Innovation Minister.

Ouyang said China is expected to supply 14 million doses of Sinovac vaccine as agreed in the agreement to Pharmaniaga within a year.

He said the next batch of Sinovac vaccine would arrive in stages from March onwards, following the arrival of the first shipment of the vaccine today.

"Today, the arrival of the first batch of the vaccine in bulk reflects the China-Malaysia vaccine cooperation, and represents the deep friendship between the Chinese and Malaysian people.

"Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic more than a year ago, the governments and people of China and Malaysia have worked side by side in fighting the pandemic and economic recovery, providing firm support and assistance to each other, which demonstrates the deep friendship between our two countries that have supported each other through thick and thin,” he said.

He said the first batch Sinovac vaccine arrived in bulk today will be packaged into 300,000 doses of vaccine while the additional 100,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine that are ready to be used for emergency purpose, will arrive as soon as the registration is approved.

Ouyang also said that China has firmly supported and taken an active role in the global fight against the pandemic and would continue to work with Malaysia and other countries, to strengthen its cooperation on vaccines, pandemic prevention and control, as well as economic recovery.

"By providing medical supplies, sharing pandemic prevention experience and promoting vaccine cooperation, China has been promoting the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

"Despite the huge domestic demand for vaccines, we still deliver on President Xi Jinping’s solemn commitment of making Chinese vaccine a global public good, do our utmost to provide assistance to the international community, and cooperate with relevant countries on vaccines through various means.

"Our goal is to make vaccine accessible and affordable to as many people as possible in all countries, truly becoming vaccines for the people,” he said. — Bernama