Pragmatic talks over vaccine procurement, coproduction: Chinese envoy

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming today said a "very pragmatic" discussion is underway on procurement of Covid-19 vaccine doses from China to meet Bangladesh's needs.

He also said there is very "encouraging progress" between the two countries over the coproduction of vaccines.

The ambassador was addressing a virtual discussion on "Bangladesh-China Economic and Trade Relations in the aftermath of the Covid-19 Global Pandemic" jointly organised by the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) and Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCCI).

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi spoke at the event as chief guest.

China will deliver the second consignment of vaccine doses for Bangladesh as a gift from the Chinese government within the next few days. "I hope the process will be completed by June 13," Li said.

Just nine days after the arrival of the first batch of 500,000 doses of Chinese vaccine as a gift in Bangladesh on May 12, China announced the provision of the second batch of vaccine, also as gift.

On May 27, Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase approved a proposal for buying 1.5 crore doses of China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines.

Bangladesh is expecting to get 50 lakh doses of vaccine from China in June, July and August.

Ambassador Li said the two countries will continue to work in new areas of cooperation in the coming days.