Global Developments and Analysis: Weekly Monitor, 23 November - 29 November 2020

Economic

China’s middle class not so rich after all

At an October State Council press conference marking the 71st anniversary of the Communist republic, the National Bureauof Statistics (NBS) claimed that China now boasted no less than 400 million middle class consumers and that the average personal income figures in major cities for the first three quarters all achieved “high single-digit growth” over 2019. For instance, working residents in Shanghai, China’s largest city economy and most populous urban center, earned 54,126 Yuan (US$8,236) on average in the first nine months, up roughly 5% year-on-year, according to the NBS. Beijing’s corresponding figure was 51,772 yuan ($7,868). However, an unexplained change in the NBS’s data-crunching methodology since the third quarter has raised new questions about the Chinese consumer’s underlying spending power, as statisticians replaced average income figures with what they say is a “more accurate” median monthly income measure. Those in Beijing make the highest amount, 6,906 Yuan ($1,050) per month, followed by Shanghai’s 6,378 Yuan ($969) and Shenzhen’s 5,199 Yuan ($790). Click here to read... [2]

US’ crackdown on Chinese trans-shipment via Vietnam has no practical significance: Chinese analyst

Moves by the US to increase pressure on Vietnam, an emerging Southeast Asian manufacturing hub, over its trans-shipment role for Chinese-made goods, have no practical significance, and if this practice is halted, all parties will lose, analysts told the Global Times. US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said in a recent Bloomberg interview that he had told Vietnamese leaders that they must curb "illegal re-routing" of Chinese exports and also purchase more US goods such as liquefied natural gas and military equipment to avoid American tariffs. Further, the aide to US President Donald Trump said the US' trade deficit with Vietnam must be reduced, according to the Bloomberg report. "The US has no excuse to put the blame only on China for the re-routing," said Sun Xiaoying, a research fellow at the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences. "The US threat to Vietnam is more of a geopolitical gesture instead of a practical action. If re-routing is halted, it will mean a loss for multiple parties," Sun noted. Click here to read... [3]

China rises as world's data superpower as internet fractures

The global data order is changing rapidly. China now accounts for 23% of cross-border data flows, nearly twice the share of the U.S., which ranks a distant second with 12%. The Chinese lead could turn into a dominant advantage as the formerly world-spanning internet shatters into the "splinternet": a balkanized mosaic of information networks marked off by national borders. A Nikkei survey of information on cross-border data flows from the International Telecommunication Union and U.S. research firm TeleGeography showed that cross-border data flows of China, including Hong Kong, in 2019 far outstripped any of the other 10 countries and regions examined, including the U.S. Beijing has used its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative to encourage private-sector tech companies like Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings to expand abroad. As China becomes a global data superpower, it will control huge quantities of a resource that will be invaluable to its future economic competitiveness. Data from foreign sources can provide an edge in developing artificial intelligence and information technologies.

Click here to read... [4]

In 165 countries, China’s Beidou eclipses American GPS

In the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, a bustling and chaotic city of 4.8m people, the Deliver Addis service has soared in popularity as the app sends food to a customer’s location with remarkable accuracy. The secret behind this precision is Chinese satellite technology originally designed to support the military. The app’s meteoric growth is powered in part by the Beidou satellite navigation system, for which recent advances underscore Beijing’s gains in the global fight for data dominance. Miyuki Koga, the proprietor of a Japanese restaurant in the African metropolis, notes that “smartphone positioning information has improved by leaps and bounds” since she moved here 13 years ago. “We can even manage deliveries in the coronavirus pandemic.” The US was in the vanguard of this technology, launching the first satellite that now makes up the Global Positioning System back in 1978. But GPS, long the only game in town, is being eclipsed by Beidou. China completed Beidou in June after development began in 1994. Beijing’s aims are more than economic.Data from US satellite receiver company Trimble shows that capital cities in 165 of 195 countries — or 85 per cent of those capitals — are observed more frequently by Beidou satellites than by GPS, Nikkei found. Click here to read... [5]

Australia Threatens WTO Action Against China as Trade Row Intensifies

Australia is preparing to take action against China at the World Trade Organization over tariffs on barley imports, the latest salvo in a trade dispute that has disrupted the supply of commodities from coal to wine. China in May placed tariffs of 80.5% on Australian barley—commonly used for beer brewing—saying it was being sold at unfairly low prices with the help of subsidies. Australia rejected that finding and directly appealed to Chinese authorities to reverse the duties, but was rebuffed. “So now the WTO appeal for barley is the next step,” Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said Sunday. The government is holding talks with the local grains industry and other sectors to gauge support for filing a complaint, he added. China’s government didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Australia drew China’s anger in April when it sought support from European leaders to investigate whether Beijing’s early response to the coronavirus contributed to the pandemic. Many Australian lawmakers and economists see the tariffs as retaliation by China for that diplomatic push. Click here to read... [6]

China issues guideline to stabilize grain production

The General Office of the State Council has released a guideline on preventing non-grain use of arable land and stabilizing grain production to ensure food security. Underscoring food security as the top priority in China's agricultural work, the guideline stressed that grain production must be a priority in using farmland resources. It urged related departments to optimize production structures, implement the strictest farmland protection policies, and use arable land scientifically. The country should unveil special protection measures and regulations for using arable land, the guideline said, calling for strict restrictions on converting arable land into other types of agricultural land, such as forests and gardens. Efforts should also go into preventing the disorderly production of inedible produces that are excessive in the market, it said. Apart from improving the mechanical technologies in grain production, the guideline also said that authorities would monitor and assess arable land nationwide with satellite remote sensing technologies and report cases of non-grain farmland use. Click here to read... [7]

Japan to help India with 5G to counter China's growing influence

Japan and India will tie up in the field of information and communications to counter China's growing influence on telecommunications and digital infrastructure, Japanese government officials said. The two governments will support the introduction of 5G wireless networks, submarine fibre-optic cables and other technologies to India from Japanese companies, the officials said. In addition, Japan will receive cooperation from India in nurturing professionals well versed in digital technology. The tie-up will involve projects totalling tens of billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars). Preparations are underway to sign a memorandum of understanding for concluding a comprehensive agreement at an online meeting in December between Japanese Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Ryota Takeda and Ravi Shankar Prasad, India's telecommunications minister. Japanese and Indian cabinet ministers have not signed such an MOU before. Click here to read... [8]

The battle to deliver your online shopping

For parcel delivery companies, 2020 has been a year like no other. But while automation is becoming fundamental in shipping and distribution centers, the last mile is still reliant on human involvement. For the foreseeable future, technology in this part of logistics will be more about supporting people rather than replacing them. With parcel volumes continuing to rise, improving efficiency is a major focus for carriers. Many have adopted AI-powered route planning systems to shorten journey times, while alternative drop-off locations now include lockers, local convenience stores, garages and even cars to reduce the number of unsuccessful deliveries.For now, the majority of parcel deliveries are still carried out by van, but increasingly congested streets are forcing delivery firms to seek alternatives. UPS and DHL have begun to introduce electric bicycles, while UK-based start-up Zedify delivers almost exclusively with cargo bikes and trikes. Our growing love of online shopping could lead to a 36% increase in delivery vehicles on the roads of major cities by 2030. That would raise delivery traffic emissions by 32% and congestion by 21%, according to the World Economic Forum. Click here to read... [9]

Big Tech is giving up on acquisitions

Today’s tech giants were built on innovation — just not always their own. At key moments in their history, Google and Facebook made savvy acquisitions of smaller companies that supercharged their growth or snuffed out future competition.Now that strategy has big obstacles. The latest sign came this month when the US Department of Justice sued to halt Visa’s $5.3bn acquisition of fintech group Plaid. Most companies do not need a lawsuit to know the mood music in Washington has changed. In 2007, Google’s acquisition of internet advertising platform DoubleClick was approved by competition authorities. Facebook’s acquisitions of photo app Instagram in 2012 and messaging app WhatsApp in 2014 were waved through. Yet in the past few weeks, the Federal Trade Commission has been reported to be reviewing those acquisitions all over again and the DoJ has sued Google, accusing it of illegally protecting a monopoly in search advertising. A growing number of lawmakers want big tech companies broken up. Click here to read... [10]

Nord Stream 2: Construction of disputed pipeline to restart in December

Construction on the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea is set to resume next week, a company spokesman said on Nov 28. Work on the pipeline was at a standstill for a year as companies working on the project pulled out under the pressure of sanctions from the United States. The company leading the project told news agency DPA it aims to get back to work by December 5. The 1,230-kilometer (764-mile) pipeline will bring natural gas from Russia's Siberian gas fields to Germany, Europe's biggest economy. Nord Stream 2, which largely follows the route of the original Nord Stream pipeline, will double the amount of natural gas that Germany can import from Russia. The system is designed to deliver up to 55 billion cubic meters (1,942 trillion cubic feet) per year once completed. Construction is nearly complete, but work came to halt suddenly in December 2019 near the Danish island of Bornholm when two Swiss laying vessels ceased working after the US threatened to impose sanctions on companies working on the project. The US government has remained hostile to the project. Companies from the US also sell gas to Europe, but not as cheaply as that pumped from the Baltic pipelines. Click here to read... [11]

Strategic

Xi visit on hold in Japan, probably until 2022 when key anniversary held

A recent visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi angered conservative ruling party lawmakers and left unresolved the question of when Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a state visit to Japan. It did, however, result in a minor breakthrough: the lifting of travel curbs for businessman of the two Asian powers despite a surge in new COVID-19 cases in Japan, a development that one Foreign Ministry source trumpeted as a diplomatic victory. But overall, there seemed to be little enthusiasm for an early visit to Japan by Xi. From Japan's viewpoint, Wang’s comments about the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea were simply unacceptable. An LDP committee session held Nov. 26 was far from a cordial affair as participants seized on the government for not forcefully countering Wang's comments about the Senkakus. Some within the government now envisage Xi making a state visit in 2022, which will mark the 50th anniversary of normalization of Japan's diplomatic ties with China. Click here to read... [12]

Wang Yi's visit highlights differences in Korea, China's priorities

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's Nov. 25 to 27 visit to Seoul has left more questions rather than answers as the two countries showed some differing priorities in bilateral relations. The press releases from the Chinese side have not placed much importance on the issues mentioned in the press releases from the Korean side. Rather, Beijing highlighted economic and trade priorities following Wang's visit. In particular, Beijing has spotlighted Wang's visit as an accelerator for the Korea-China-Japan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations that started in 2012. Ahead of Wang's successive visits to Japan and Korea last week, Xi said that China would "speed up negotiations for the China-Japan-ROK free trade agreement," at the opening ceremony of the third China International Import Expo, Nov. 4, hours after U.S. presidential election polls closed. Wang also put a heavy focus on the trilateral FTA during his visit to Tokyo before arriving in Seoul, Nov. 25. For China, the next five to 10 years are crucial in its competition with the U.S. and Beijing is relying on its two important neighbours, according to experts. Click here to read... [13]

Pakistan Army set to gain sweeping Belt and Road authority

Pakistan is set to pass legislation that would place a supranational body that oversees the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridorunder control of Pakistan Army that would also gain sweeping powers.A parliamentary committee earlier this month passed the CPEC Authority Bill 2020 despite strong opposition from some lawmakers. According to Junaid Akbar, chairman of the parliamentary committee, the bill will be presented to parliament for a final vote in the second week of December. Pakistan's government under Prime Minister Imran Khan and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, considered to be aligned with the interests of the army, had been working for months to get the draft bill through the committee. The proposed law seeks to reinstate the controversial CPEC Authority -- which has been defunct since the expiry of a presidential order in May. Despite the lapse, retired army Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa has continued to preside over the CPEC Authority as chairman, a situation that has led opposition legislators to question the legality of his position. Click here to read... [14]

Suga to forgo January snap election as COVID third wave rages

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is expected to forgo calling an early election for the lower house of parliament as the country faces a third wave of COVID-19 infections, Nikkei has learned. There had been speculation that Suga would dissolve the House of Representatives at the beginning of the regular session of the Diet, which convenes in January next year. Instead, he will seek to do so next summer or later. Suga is also thought to want to secure policy achievements to present to the public, such as the establishment of a digital agency to take administrative paperwork online. The administration will likely pressure mobile phone carriers to further cut service fees, securing tangible changes ahead of the election. The prime minister will hold a news conference around the Dec. 5 closure of the current parliament session to inform the nation that he will prioritize COVID-19 countermeasures and rebuilding the economy. The current lower house term will expire on Oct. 21, 2021, and a general election has to take place before then. Click here to read... [15]

Anti-Turkey alliance runs through Europe-Asia electricity link

A megaproject that promises to let electricity flow between Europe and Western Asia has the EU concerned about what China intends to do with a related project, while Turkey is worried about an alliance that might be taking shape against it. The Euro Asia Interconnector would link the power grids of Israel, considered Western Asia, Greece and Cyprus with a 1,200-km subsea high-voltage transmission cable, one of the longest in the world if completed. It is to be partly funded by the EU, and Stage 1 is to cost 2.5 billion euros [$2.97 billion]. It is now slated for possible completion by December 2023. Proponents say electricity interconnectors can help deal with intermittence, inherent in wind and solar power. As for the geopolitical intrigue, Chinese shareholdings in a Greek energy company has European officials wondering if China might be using a related deal as a Trojan Horse intent on galloping onto Europe's power grid. "Energy is considered a strategic issue of the EU," said Pablo Pareja-Alcaraz, a lecturer at the University of Pompeu Fabra “If China is perceived in member state countries as an alternative that weakens the EU position”. Click here to read... [16]

Thai protesters challenge king's military command

Thai antigovernment protesters challenged on Nov 29 King Maha Vajiralongkorn's personal control over some army units to condemn the military's role in politics. It was the latest open defiance of the king by protesters, who have broken taboos by criticizing the monarchy in a country where it is officially revered under the constitution and laws to ban insulting it. Hundreds of protesters gathered to march to the 11th Infantry Regiment, one of two units that were moved under the king's command in 2019. "An army should belong to the people, not the king," Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak told reporters. "In a democratic system, the king is not responsible for directing command of the military." Protesters accuse the monarchy of enabling decades of military domination. Parit is among several protest leaders who already face charges under lèse-majesté laws against insulting the monarchy after his speeches at previous rallies. Protests which began in July initially demanded the departure of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former junta leader, and a new constitution, but now also seek to curb the powers of the king. Click here to read... [17]

Delayed Tokyo Olympics bill rises $1.9b: report

The coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Olympics could cost $1.9 billion more than its original budget of $13 billion, a 15% increase, a report said on Nov 29. The Olympics organizers will formally decide the increased budget for the Games as early as mid-December after communicating with the Japanese government and the host city Tokyo, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing unnamed Olympic sources. The 2020 Games were pushed back a year as Covid-19 spread around the globe and are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021. But the delay has thrown up a plethora of new costs, from rebooking venues and transport to retaining the huge organising committee staff. With many countries experiencing second or even third waves of infection, there have been doubts about whether the event can be staged, but organisers and Olympic officials insist it can be done safely. The extra 200 billion yen ($1.9 billion) on the pre-coronavirus estimate of 1.35 trillion yen ($13 billion) comes despite organizers last month slashing $280 million by cutting everything from staffing to pyrotechnics, but the new figure does not include costs of the coronavirus-related measures, the report said. Officials expect the virus-linked measures will be paid by the Japanese government, it said. Click here to read... [18]

Biden’s NATO Amity Sparks Debate Among European Allies

Mr. Trump’s presidency has accelerated Europe’s quest to become a stronger military player, in part to hedge against a less predictable U.S. that is distracted by growing demands elsewhere, such as China. French President Emmanuel Macron says Europe needs to seek “strategic autonomy.” Germany and some other allies say Europe needs to do more for itself but must avoid pushing the U.S. away. The debate—conducted through speeches, articles and interviews over recent weeks—has highlighted the challenges that the incoming Biden administration will face as it seeks to forge a stronger Western alliance. Foreign ministers from North Atlantic Treaty Organization members will meet by videoconference next week for the first time since the U.S. election. “The Biden administration should encourage European strategic capacity building,” said Ivo Daalder, U.S. ambassador to NATO for the Obama administration and now president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. “We need it to change from a U.S.-led Europe to a Europe that can lead by itself and is a strategic partner of the U.S.” The European Union’s first defense review, published last week, highlighted slow progress on beefing up European militaries. It noted a lack of troops ready to be deployed and fragmentation and duplication of efforts. Click here to read... [19]

Biden signals sharp shift from Trump with Cabinet picks

President-elect Joe Biden on Nov 23 tapped Obama-era officials for top national security and economic roles, signalling a stark shift from the Trump administration's "America First" policies that disparaged international alliances and favoured deregulation and tax cuts.The picks include former Secretary of State John Kerry to take the lead on combating climate change. Biden is also expected to choose Janet Yellen, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama to lead the Federal Reserve, as the first woman to become treasury secretary. Biden's emerging Cabinet marks a return to a more traditional approach to governing, relying on veteran policymakers with deep expertise and strong relationships in Washington and global capitals. And with a roster that includes multiple women and people of colour -- some of whom are breaking historic barriers in their posts -- Biden is fulfilling his campaign promise to lead a team that reflects the diversity of America. Click here to read... [20]

Iranian president points finger at Israel after assassination of top military scientist near Tehran

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has blamed ‘mercenaries of the usurping Zionist regime’ for the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a military scientist, who was accused by Israel of leading a nuclear weapons program in Iran. “Once again, the evil hands of global arrogance were stained with the blood … of the mercenary usurper Zionist regime,” the Iranian president said in a statement extending his condolences for the death of Fakhrizadeh. The term is used in Iran to describe the Israeli government, which Tehran does not recognize as legitimate. Rouhani added that the assassination shows “the inability of the sworn enemies of the Iranian nation” to stop its scientific progress and “the depth of their malice and resentment”. He added that younger Iranian scientists will step up and take Fakhrizadeh’s place. The scientist was reportedly ambushed by unidentified gunmen in his car outside of Tehran on Friday and died from his wounds in hospital. It's still unknown who carried out the attack.For years, Iran has accused Israel of assassinations and murder attempts of its nuclear scientists. In 2018, Fakhrizadeh was identified by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the head of a now-defunct project to produce a nuclear weapon. Click here to read... [21]

Trump senior aide Kushner and team heading to Saudi Arabia, Qatar

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and his team are headed to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week for talks in a region simmering with tension after the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist. A senior administration official said on Nov 29 that Kushner is to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi city of Neom, and the emir of Qatar in that country in the coming days. The official said they would like to advance more normalization agreements before President Donald Trump hands power to President-elect Joe Biden on Jan 20.US officials believe enticing Saudi Arabia into a deal with Israel would prompt other Arab nations to follow suit. But the Saudis do not appear to be on the brink of reaching such a landmark deal and officials in recent weeks have been focusing on other countries, with concern about Iran's regional influence a uniting factor. Kushner's trip comes after the killing on Nov 27 of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in Tehran by unidentified assailants. Western and Israeli governments believe Fakhrizadeh was the architect of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program. Click here to read... [22]

Brussels warns France on press freedom as Macron's government pushes ahead with security law

The European Commission has reminded the French government of its duty to ensure journalists can carry out their work "freely and safely," as parliament votes to crackdown on the publication of images of on-duty police officers. Christian Wigand, the EC spokesperson for Rule of Law, issued a warning to the French government after parliament voted to approve a law penalizing journalists for disseminating images of the police on Nov 27. The spokesman told AFP that the EU body is monitoring developments in France very closely. Wigand added that EU member states must make sure they find the right balance when drafting security legalization, ensuring citizens' rights and, notably, media freedoms are not compromised by the need to reinforce public security. According to the bill, sharing images of on-duty cops "with the aim or harming their physical or psychological integrity" will become punishable with a year's imprisonment and a maximum €45,000 ($53,360) fine. Click here to read... [23]

EU warns Afghanistan any move to set up 'Islamic emirate' would affect financial support

The European Union's foreign policy chief called for an immediate ceasefire in Afghanistan on Nov 24, warning that the country may lose political and financial support from Brussels. Josep Borrell, EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said at an Afghanistan fundraising conference in Geneva that "a ceasefire should not be an outcome of the [peace] process it should accompany the process from today." Any attempt to restore an Islamic emirate would have an impact on our political and financial engagement. The Taliban, which ruled in Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, has recently called for the establishment of an Islamic government, or "Islamic emirate" in the country. At the Geneva forum, the EU also announced that €1.2 billion ($1.43 billion) would be provided to Afghanistan over four years. Brussels has committed around €5.1 billion in development aid to Afghanistan from 2002 to 2020, and this makes the country the largest beneficiary of EU development assistance in the world. Click here to read... [24]

Australia strips Muslim cleric of citizenship in unprecedented move

Abdul NacerBenbrika has become the first person to be stripped of his Australian citizenship while still in the country after the government decided that he poses a “significant terrorist threat. It is the first time that an individual has lost their citizenship while still in the country. Australian law allows the government to strip a person of their citizenship if they are dual citizens. Benbrika is believed to have retained his Algerian citizenship and he will, therefore, not be left stateless by the move. Australia’s Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that the country’s opposition party supports the government’s action, as a “necessary step in certain circumstances.”Benbrika was convicted on three terrorism charges in 2009 and is serving 15 years in Australian prison for intentionally being the leader and a member of a terrorist organization, as well as possessing material associated with the planning of a terrorist act. While he is eligible for release next month, Benbrika remains in an Australian prison, as the country’s law allows people convicted of terrorism offenses to be detained for up to three years after their sentence ends. Click here to read... [25]

Germany's imams seen as key in combating radicalization

The latest spate of terror attacks in France and Austria will not hamper the cooperation between the government and Germany's Muslim community, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Nov 24. "We won't let terrorism and extremism derail us," Seehofer said at the start of this year's German Islam Conference. Seehofer praised an Islamic theology program for German-speaking imams in the city of Osnabrück as a significant contribution towards preventing radicalization.The Interior Ministry-funded project is "money well-spent for societal cohesion in our country," Seehofer said. The focus of this year's conference, which is taking place digitally due to the coronavirus pandemic, is on imam training in Germany. The atmosphere during the talks this year is especially charged following a series of recent deadly attacks in Paris, Nice and Vienna that authorities say were carried out by radical Islamists.Conference participants will debate and offer up solutions on a range of topics, including Islamic religion classes in schools and the training that Islamic preachers receive — as well as what language should be used in German mosques. Since 2006, the annual meeting has sought to encourage dialogue between the German government and representatives from the country's Muslim community. Click here to read... [26]

Medical

Global campaign calls for healthy lifestyle

All adults should do a minimum of 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week, even more vital for well-being and mental health in the COVID-19 era, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Nov 25 in its first guidance in a decade. It recommended that children and adolescents have an average of one hour of daily physical exercise and limit time in front of electronic screens. And people of all ages must compensate for growing sedentary behaviour with physical activity to ward off disease and add years to their lives, the WHO said, launching its "Every Move Counts" campaign. "Increasing physical activity not only helps prevent and manage heart disease, type-2 diabetes and cancer, it also reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduces cognitive decline including Alzheimer's and improves memory," Ruediger Krech, WHO director for health promotion, told a news briefing. Click here to read... [27]

China slips in COVID-19 vaccine race on doubts over effectiveness

China's vaccine diplomacy faces a setback as questions arise about the efficacy and safety of its coronavirus inoculations while the country speeds a large-scale rollout despite the candidates remaining in the clinical trial phase. Beijing once led the global race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, but U.S. and European pharmaceutical firms are close to bringing candidates to market. On Nov. 17, British medical journal The Lancet featured a study about the efficacy of Sinovac Biotech's vaccine candidate based on initial clinical trials. It found that the Chinese company's candidate generated lower levels of protective antibodies than those present in recovered coronavirus patients. The efficacy was determined to be moderate. In contrast, the candidates from U.S.-based Pfizer and Moderna were found to be more than 90% effective, while the offering from Britain's AstraZeneca had an overall efficacy rate of 70%. Both American pharma companies used cutting-edge technology to develop their products. Sinovac used an inactivated virus that does not induce illness to develop its candidate, a tried-and-true method long employed for fighting pathogens such as influenza. Eleven vaccine candidates worldwide are in final clinical trials, four of them Chinese. Click here to read... [28]

CEO says Astra Zeneca likely to run new global trial of COVID-19 vaccine

Astra Zeneca is likely to run an additional global trial to assess the efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine using a lower dosage, its chief executive was quoted as saying on Nov 26 amid questions over the results from its late-stage study. Instead of adding the trial to an ongoing U.S. process, Astra Zeneca might launch a fresh study to evaluate a lower dosage of its vaccine that performed better than a full dosage, Pascal Soriot was quoted as saying in a Bloomberg News report. "Now that we've found what looks like a better efficacy we have to validate this, so we need to do an additional study," he said. Soriot said it would probably be another "international study, but this one could be faster because we know the efficacy is high so we need a smaller number of patients." The news comes as Astra Zeneca faces questions about its success rate that some experts say could hinder its chances of getting speedy U.S. and EU regulatory approval. Several scientists have raised doubts about the robustness of results released on Nov 23 showing the experimental vaccine was 90 percent effective in a sub-group of trial participants who, by error initially, received a half dose followed by a full dose. Click here to read... [29]