KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — The federal government is in discussion with several Chinese vaccine manufacturers on the possibility of setting up production plants here, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

However, Saifuddin said such talks were still preliminary.

"A few companies from China have been engaged to look at the possibility of vaccine production but this at a very early stage,’’ he said briefly during a press conference after the launch of the nation’s new foreign policy framework at the Le Meridien Hotel here today.

Prior to today’s press conference, Saifuddin had concluded an official visit to China on December 3 and 4 where he attended the inaugural meeting of the Malaysia-China High-Level Committee (HLC) on Cooperation in the post-Covid-19 era.

During the meeting, both countries agreed to collaborate on vaccine research and development (R&D) as well as production.

Saifuddin was reported saying that the collaboration would fulfill the country’s aspiration to produce its own vaccines.