Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on disease control, animals, CCP, Taiwan
News (1)
The story of molnupiravir
Molnupiravir, the oral drug tipped to be the first oral anti-covid drug produced by Merck, is not originally produced by Merck. According to The Intercept, Merck bought the worldwide rights to molnupiravir from another company named Ridgeback Biotherapeutics (Ridgeback, in short) two months after 2020.
Molnupiravir is also known by its development codes MK-4482 and EIDD-2801. It is jointly launched by Merck and Ridgeback.
Ridgeback licensed the medicine from Emory University in 2020 and remains involved in the development of the drug in the U.S. for the domestic market.
Molnupiravir was initially developed as a treatment for Venezuelan equine encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease endemic to Central America and South America, by Emory University using US$10 million government funds of The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a division of the U.S. Department of Defense, in 2013 and 2015. The treatment led to the discovery of EIDD-1931. When EIDD-1931 was turned into EIDD-2801, it was found to be effective against influenza, Ebola virus, chikungunya and other coronaviruses.
The National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, also provided Emory University with more than US$19 million in additional grants.
Therefore, molnupiravir is more than 5 years old now.
News (2)
Merck charges the U.S. government more than US$700 for selling molnupiravir
According to The Intercept, it takes Merck US$17.74 to produce molnupiravir but it is charging the U.S. government US$712 for the same amount of medicine to treat covid.
News (3)
36 people died after receiving molnupiravir
According to a statement by Merck and Ridgeback, 8 people died after consuming molnupiravir as a placebo but among the 385 non-hospitalized adults with mild and moderate symptoms of covid who directly received the drug during the first 29 days of the clinical trial, 28 patients "were either hospitalized or died through Day 29 following randomization." This is despite the drug shows efficacy against Gamma, Delta and Mu covi variants.
Refs: https://theintercept.com/2021/10/05/covid-pill-drug-pricing-merck-ridgeback/, https://cen.acs.org/pharmaceuticals/drug-development/emerging-antiviral-takes-aim-COVID-19/98/web/2020/05
News (4)
Phase 3 clinical trial of molnupiravir estimated to end on 8 November 2021
According to Merck and Ridgeback, the Phase 3 placebo-controlled clinical trial of molnupiravir is estimated to end on 8 November 2021 and the actual efficacy study completion date is on 13 May 2022.
Countries that participate in the molnupiravir Phase 3 clinical trial include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Guatemala, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine, the UK and the U.S.
News (5)
Malaysia and Singapore pre-order molnupiravir
The Ministry of Health of Malaysia stated that the country has reached an agreement with the American drug maker Merck to pre-order 150,000 experimental antiviral drugs.
If approved by the regulatory authorities, molnupiravir, which can reduce the probability of death or hospitalization by 50%, will be the first oral antiviral drug to treat covid.
Malaysia and Singapore said both governments signed a purchase undertaking on 7 October 2021.
Malaysia has notified nearly 2.3 million confirmed cases, ranking third in Southeast Asia. However, as the number of new cases has decreased in recent weeks, authorities have gradually lifted restrictions on movement.
About 64% of Malaysia’s 32 million people have been fully vaccinated.
News (6)
Singapore reports 6 more deaths from covid on 8 October 2021
On 8 October 2021, Singapore's Ministry of Health reports 6 more covid fatalities including 3 men and 3 women who were not vaccinated nor fully vaccinated elderlies. Thus, the total number of covid fatalities has risen to 142.
One of the covid death cases, who was partially vaccinated, has no known underlying medical condition while the other 5 death cases have underlying medical conditions.
Besides, there is an increase of 3,590 confirmed covid cases on 8 October, of which 2,825 are local community cases and 765 cases from dormitories. There are no inbound cases on 8 October.
There are 1,564 covid patients in local hospitals to date. 307 patients need oxygen supplementation and 41 covid patients are warded in Intensive Care Units.
The cumulative number of covid cases in Singapore is now 120,454.
News (7)
Pfizer insider reveals e-mails implying aborted baby cell use in Pfizer covi vaccine
Pfizer
insider Melissa Strickler leaked internal e-mails to Project Veritas revealing
company executives instructing staff to be secretive about the use of human
fetal tissue in laboratory testing of the Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 (covi) vaccine.
Pfizer’s Chief Scientific Officer, Philip Dormitzer, admits aborted fetus tissue is used in the company’s vaccine program but Pfizer employees should just stick with Pfizer’s public narrative, which omits any mention of aborted fetal tissue to avoid any issues with the public.
Image : Leaked Pfizer e-mail (as reflected on The National Pulse)
“HEK293T cells, used for the IVE assay, are ultimately derived
from an aborted fetus,” Dormitzer said. “On the other hand, the Vatican doctrinal
committee has confirmed that they consider it acceptable for Pro-Life believers
to be immunized. Pfizer’s official statement couches the answer well and is
what should be provided in response to an outside inquiry.”
Vanessa Gelman, who serves as Pfizer’s Senior
Director of Worldwide Research, encouraged staff to be careful when talking
about human fetal cells in the company’s vaccine program.
In another e-mail thread, Gelman doubled down on
being secretive about this information.
Image : Leaked Pfizer e-mail (as reflected on The National Pulse)
“We have been trying as much as possible to not
mention the fetal cell lines…One or more cell lines with an origin that can be
traced back to human fetal tissue has been used in laboratory tests associated
with the vaccine program,” she said.
Pfizer manufacturing quality auditor Melissa
Strickler, the whistleblower who shared these e-mails with Project Veritas, said
she was not sure whether aborted fetal tissue made it to the final covi vaccine
product.
“They’re being so deceptive in their e-mails, it’s
almost like it is in the final vaccine. It just made me not trust it,” she said.
Ref : The National Pulse, https://thenationalpulse.com/news/pfizer-whistleblower-emails-imply-aborted-baby-cells-in-vaccine/
News (8) to (12) / Reporter : Tosin Thompson, Nature / https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02669-2
News (8)
Portable air filters remove covi and other pathogens from the air
Research at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, a foreign hospital swarmed by covid patients, shows that portable air filters such as HEPA filters effectively remove SARS-CoV-2 (covi) from the air. The results show that these filters can be used to reduce the risk of hospital staff and patients from contracting covi in hospitals.
News (9)
Earlier experiments assessed filters' ability to remove inactive particles
Earlier experiments that tested air filters’ performance assessed their ability to remove inactive particles while operating in carefully controlled environments2. As a result, “what was not known was how effective they would be in a real-world ward setting for clearing SARS-CoV-2”, says study co-author Vilas Navapurkar, an intensive-care unit (ICU) physician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
News (10)
Covi still around when filters are switched off
Hospitals have turned to portable air filters as an attractive solution when their isolation facilities are full. Navapurkar says it is important to know whether such filters are effective or whether they simply provide a false sense of security.
To determine how the filters stand up to real-world conditions, Navapurkar and his co-authors installed them in two fully occupied COVID-19 wards — a general ward and an ICU. The team chose high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which blow air through a fine mesh that catches extremely small particles. The researchers collected air samples from the wards during a week when the air filters were switched on and two weeks when they were turned off.
In the general ward, the team found SARS-CoV-2 particles in the air when the filter was off but not when it was on.
News (11)
More critical to remove covi from general wards than in ICUs
Surprisingly, the team did not find many viral particles in the air of the ICU ward, even when the filter there was off. The authors suggest several possible reasons for this, including slower viral replication at later stages of the disease3. As a result, the team says that measures to remove the virus from the air might be more important in general wards than in ICUs.
News (12)
Pathogens may be spread by aerosol
According to David Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, Canada, the filters not only protect one from covi, but also other detectable pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogenes. The filters largely removed them. These organisms are not typically thought to spread through the air, but “this study suggests that these infections may also spread by aerosol”, Fisman says.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-02669-2
Ref: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02669-2
News (13)
Rainfall on American desert! Hundreds of "three-eyed aliens" broke out of their shells
Image : The monsoon rains in northern Arizona this summer have awakened hundreds of "strange crustaceans" that have been sleeping for more than ten years, and they look like "three-eyed aliens." (The picture is taken from Wupatki National Monument)
The monsoon rains in northern Arizona this summer have awakened hundreds of "strange crustaceans" that have been sleeping for more than ten years. They look like "three-eyed aliens", and their eggs can be found in the desert. Moderate dormancy lasts for decades, waiting for the rain to fall from the sky and breaking out of the shell in the rain.
According to a comprehensive foreign media report, the official photo of the Wupatki National Monument in Arizona is released. The staff is holding a crustacean in the hand. The head is like a horseshoe crab, but the tail can be bent, and the end of the tail is also forked with 3 eyes.
Lauren Carter, a ranger at the Wupperki National Monument, said that after the summer rains in northern Arizona, hundreds of these strange creatures broke out of their eggs and swam around lakes that formed briefly in the desert. These creatures are called " "Triops" (Triops), also known as "three-eyed dinosaur shrimps", belong to the Tadpole shrimps (Tadpole shrimps) creatures, and are considered to be a living fossil by the outside world.
Carter said that their eggs can stay dormant in the desert for decades, until there is enough rainfall to create short-lived lakes to buy time and space for the larvae to mature and mature into adults to mate.
The English word "Triops" is derived from the Greek "three eyes". The evolutionary history of this creature is quite long. Their ancestors evolved during the Devonian Period (419 million to 359 million years ago). Since then, Their appearance has hardly changed, but because the current "Triops" structure is not exactly the same as their ancestors, "I won't call them living fossils. This will cause public misunderstanding. They just look very similar to their ancestors," Carter said.
"Longtail horseshoe crab" can reproduce sexually, but when the number is quite rare, these crustaceans will transform into hermaphrodite, and even females can reproduce parthenogenesis. Their life cycle is up to 90 days and their body length can reach 22 cm. Carter said that as soon as they hatch, they immediately attract the attention of local birds and rush into the water to prey on them.
News (14)
NIH bat coronavirus grant report was submitted more than two years late
Source : Sharon Lerner etal, The Intercept
A progress report detailing controversial U.S.-funded research into bat coronaviruses in China was filed more than two years after it was due and long after the corresponding grant had concluded. The U.S.-based nonprofit the EcoHealth Alliance submitted the report to its funder, the National Institutes of Health, in September 2020, while the group was engulfed in controversy surrounding its work with partners in China. The Intercept obtained the report, along with the grant proposal and other documents, through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.
The annual report described the group’s work from June 2017 to May 2018, which involved creating new viruses using different parts of existing bat coronaviruses and inserting them into humanized mice in a lab in Wuhan, China. The work was overseen by the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is headed by Anthony Fauci.
News (15)
Another covid case at Ocean Financial Centre
The building management of Ocean Financial Centre (OFC) on 8 October 2021 announces that a covid case visited an office between Levels 31 and 43 of the building on 6 October 2021. The related areas have been disinfected and sanitized by 8 October.
News (16)
Research and judgment shows Covi72 sequence of the female deputy pilot may come from Southeast Asia
China Airlines female deputy pilot (Case 16377) is infected with Delta variant (Covi72). The virus gene sequencing was released on 8 October. The command centre compared the virus sequence and found that it was similar to the cases from the Philippines and Singapore. It was determined that the virus strain may come from Southeast Asia.
Luo Yijun, deputy head of the medical response team of the Central Epidemic Command Centre, explained the latest virus gene sequencing results at the epidemic press conference on 8 October. This week, 11 new overseas immigration cases were sequenced, all infected with the Delta variant that was first discovered in India, including infection.
Case 16377 had sent flights to Anchorage and Singapore, Luo Yijun said that after virus sequencing, the virus sequence of the infected female deputy pilot was very similar to the 3 cases of inoound cases, 2 cases from the Philippines and 1 case from Singapore. However, Luo Yijun said that there is no epidemiological overlap between the above four cases with similar virus sequences. For example, the entry time and place are different, and the quarantine place is also different. Only the virus sequence is similar. It may be a virus strain in Southeast Asia. Will further compare the whole gene sequencing.
As for whether the deputy pilot's infection was related to the direct flight to Singapore, Luo Yijun said that it is understood that the deputy pilot sent to and from Singapore did not get off the plane, but the Changi Airport personnel have boarding and handover work. Is there possible indirect or direct infection? The close-contact is subject to investigation by relevant units before reporting.
Luo Yijun said that the relevant personnel listed in the deputy pilot's infection case are all negative and there is no further expansion. The command centre also counted that a total of 168 cases of Covi72 have been detected in Taiwan, of which 43 cases are local cases and 125 inbound cases. Luo Yijun also specifically mentioned that of the 11 newly imported Covi72 cases that were newly added this week, 9 of them were breakthrough infections.
In addition, since 2 July 2021, a total of 118 cases of breakthrough infections occurred in inbound cases. Accounting for 25.8% of all overseas immigration cases, the rate is higher than before, which shows the high infectivity of the Delta variant.
Due to the frequent transmission of breakthrough infections, Luo Yijun specially reminds people who go abroad, even if two doses of covi vaccine are complete, they should still wear masks and wash their hands frequently to avoid infection; and complete vaccination can generally reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death. Encourage the public to actively vaccinate. (Central News Agency)
News (17) to (18) / Reporter : Lee Myung-ru / Editor : Li Ming / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/10/8/n13290343.htm
News (17)
The South Korean government plans to implement vaccine passports, more than 60,000 people sign online to oppose it
Image : Citizens waiting for vaccination in Bucheon, South Korea. (Panorama Forest / Epoch Times)
The South Korean government announced that it will consider introducing a "vaccine passport" based on overseas cases. People who have completed the vaccination will not be subject to epidemic prevention restrictions when they go to public places. Some citizens worry that this may cause discrimination against those who have not been vaccinated.
South Korea’s Central Disaster Safety Countermeasures Headquarters stated on September 30 that the government is considering introducing a 6-month vaccine pass (also known as a “vaccine passport”). Holders will not be allowed to go to restaurants, cafes, public baths and other places. Limited by the current epidemic prevention measures on the number of visitors.
South Korea plans to follow the example of Western countries that have introduced vaccine passes, such as Germany, France and Denmark, and has begun to study plans to introduce vaccine passes. If it is officially introduced, the public must present a vaccine pass or a nucleic acid test (PCR) negative certificate in public places and when participating in activities, otherwise it will be restricted. The general plan for unvaccinated children under the age of 12 is also under discussion.
However, once a vaccine passport is introduced, people who have not been vaccinated must undergo multiple nucleic acid tests. Therefore, some people believe that South Korea's vaccine passport policy may be strongly opposed.
Sun Yinglai, the social strategy team leader of the Central Accident Handling Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated on 29 September, “Once my country introduces a vaccine passport, if people who have not been vaccinated do not carry a PCR negative confirmation, they are likely to be restricted from going to public places or participating in activities.”
Professor Jin Woo-Joo from the Department of Infectious Diseases, Koryo Hospital of Korea University, said in an interview with Newsis, “If the people are not fully understood, (the implementation of the vaccine passport) may be subject to strong resistance.”
More than 60,000 people on the Blue House petition website signed against vaccine passports
Although the government stated that the vaccine passport will not adversely affect those who have not been vaccinated, some citizens hold a negative stance on this.
The Blue House petition website uploaded on 1 October 2021 in a petition for "opposing the vaccine passport," said, "Looking at the statistics of the Department of Disease Management, there have been more than 10,000 severe cases and deaths after vaccination, which is the same as last year. Comparing the data before the vaccine, the higher the vaccination rate, the number of confirmed cases will increase, leading to an increase in the number of severe illnesses and deaths... If this policy is implemented, it may fall into the business trap of vaccine companies." "Even if it is vaccinated, people can also be infected or spread to others."
The article asked, "What's more, there are still some people who cannot be vaccinated due to physical allergies or diseases. Should they be implemented unconditionally?"
The petition article also stated that “the society already has prejudice against those who have not been vaccinated. The implementation of the 'vaccine passport' system will aggravate social divisions. This is a violation of citizens’ basic rights and is the subject of unconstitutional lawsuits.”
As of the morning of 7 October 2021, the number of supporters for the petition has reached 64,828, rising to the top 5 hot topics on the petition website. The petition is valid until 31 October.
In an interview with Korean media edaily, a 27-year-old South Korean citizen said that he had witnessed the situation where people around him were sent to the emergency room after being vaccinated. What kind of standard is this to restrict?"
Self-employed individuals in South Korea are also constantly arguing about vaccine passes. On relevant forums, netizens have stated that "personal choice should be respected" and "the introduction of vaccine passes will make self-employed individuals face a more severe predicament."
News (18)
Over 280,000 side effects of vaccination reported, more than 1,000 people in South Korea died after vaccination
The vaccination response promotion team said on 4 October 2021 that as of that day, of the 65,282,635 people who had been vaccinated, 286,942 people had reported adverse reactions after vaccination, and the number of reported deaths after vaccination rose to 716, plus the worsening deaths after the reported adverse reactions The number of people, a total of 1,011 people died after being vaccinated.
In terms of the types of vaccines vaccinated, among the deaths after vaccination, 535 were vaccinated with Pfizer, 434 were vaccinated with AstraZeneca, and 29 and 13 were vaccinated with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
Among the reported adverse reactions data, 275,920 (96.2%) people had general adverse reactions, and 9054 cases caused serious adverse reactions such as life-threatening and permanent disability.
Judging from the comparison of vaccine types and abnormal reactions reported after vaccination, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine declaration rate was the highest at 0.58%, followed by Moderna (0.55%), AstraZeneca (0.52%) and Pfizer (0.36%).
News (19)
Singapore and South Korea opens vaccinated travel lanes for flights between Changi and Incheon
From 15 November 2021, Singapore and South Korea will open a travel channel for vaccinated people of each other.
According to the travel route plan for vaccinated people, those who have completed vaccinations can travel between Changi Airport and Incheon International Airport. After they arrive, they will undergo Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing instead of quarantine or home notification, and their travel is not restricted.
To support this plan, the two countries have also reached an agreement to recognize each other's vaccination certificates from 15 November.
News (20)
Cambodia plans to reopen by late October 2021
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced on 8 October 2021 that if the covid situation in the country remains stable for 15 consecutive days from the 7 October 2021, Cambodia will reopen fully, albeit in the pandemic whereby people have to adjust their lives to the new normal.
Cambodia is on Pchum Ben Public Holidays until 7 October 2021
Speaking at the Council of Ministers meeting on 8 October 2021, Hun Sen said the development surrounding covid remains stable, with less than 20 deaths recorded per day on average.
“If within the coming 10 to 15 days the situation is stable, if we can maintain transmission and death rates like we do currently, I think it's time to reopen the economy and society in all sectors, but in the new normal by following the three dos and three don’ts,” he said.
Hun Sen noted that half of the people who lost their lives to covid lately had not been vaccinated against the disease.
“In the past, two-thirds of the people who died had not been vaccinated because vaccines had not reached them. But yesterday, I saw that 10 had died, five of them had been vaccinated and the other five had not,” he said.
On 8 October 2021, Cambodia's Ministry of Health reported 203 confirmed covid cases and 18 deaths.
News (21)
China-India border dispute re-emerges, 200 Chinese soldiers invaded India were intercepted
Reporter : Chen Ting / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/10/8/n13290090.htm
Image : The Indian media reported that there was another confrontation at the China-India border. About 200 soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were intercepted during the invasion, and some Chinese soldiers were temporarily detained by the Indian military. The picture shows the 2016 military exercises of the Chinese Communists near the China-India border. (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images)
According to Indian media reports, another confrontation occurred on the border between India and China. About 200 soldiers of the Chinese Communist People's Liberation Army invaded Arunachal Pradesh were intercepted near the line of control, and some Chinese soldiers were briefly detained by the Indian military.
According to a report by "India Today" (link), the Indian army encountered about 200 Chinese soldiers during routine patrols, and the two sides continued to confront each other for several hours. Fortunately, the local commander successfully resolved the crisis. According to the existing bilateral agreement, the confrontation between the Chinese and Indian forces has ended.
The report said that during the conflict, India’s fortifications were not damaged.
The timing of this incident is quite sensitive. Some Indian military officers told the "Lookout" magazine that in three or four days, China and India will hold another round of high-level military talks on the dispute in eastern Ladakh. (Link)
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, Arindam Bagchi, said that India has reiterated that China’s “provocative” actions and “unilateral” actions have endangered peace and tranquility in the region.
Bagchi said, "We look forward to China's efforts to resolve the remaining issues of the actual line of control in eastern Ladakh at an early date on the basis of full compliance with the bilateral agreement."
He also pointed out that Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had already conveyed India’s position when he met with the Chinese Communist Party’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi last month.
A source told the Indian media "News18" (link) that these 200 Chinese soldiers came from Tibet and invaded the strategic Tawang county (Tawang) in an attempt to destroy the underground bunkers (bunkers) of the Indian side.
Strategically, Tawang County has mastered the passage to the Yarlung Zangbo Plain. At the same time, the "Tawang Temple" in the area is the second largest Buddhist temple in the world and one of the important places of Tibetan Buddhism. The Chinese Communist authorities claimed sovereignty over the area and included it in Cuona County of Shannan City in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
According to reports, some Chinese soldiers were briefly detained by the Indian military.
This latest round of confrontation has also caused the border conflict between India and China, which has lasted for more than a year, to once again arouse international attention.
News (22)
The Economist: The Pentagon document discloses 23 U.S. Marines "permanently stationed in Taiwan"
Image : "The Economist" disclosed that a document from the Pentagon showed that as of 30 June, there were 23 U.S. Marines "permanently stationed" in Taiwan. The picture shows the U.S. Marine Corps. (Bloomberg file photo)
The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. military stationed in Taiwan to train Taiwan troops for at least one year. The White House and the Ministry of National Defense did not comment; The Economist disclosed that a document at the Pentagon showed that as of June On the 30th, 23 U.S. Marines were "permanently stationed" in Taiwan, as well as 2 navy and 5 air force personnel. In addition, as of 2018, approximately 3,500 to 4,000 Pentagon officials visited Taiwan each year.
The report pointed out that the CCP won the Civil War between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party in 1949. The United States signed the "Mutual Defense Treaty" with Taiwan in 1954 to defend Taiwan with military and nuclear weapons. During the Vietnam War, 30,000 US troops were stationed in Taiwan. In order to isolate the Soviet Union, the Mori government turned to contact with the CCP. After the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China and the severance of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the United States in 1979, the United States did not build a large-scale military force in Taiwan.
However, the United States is quietly giving more support to Taiwan. When the American Association in Taiwan (AIT) opened its new site in 2019, it admitted that in the past 14 years, U.S. Marines, Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel were performing missions in Taiwan. They are responsible for protecting American embassies everywhere.
The Economist mentioned that a routinely updated document released by the US Department of Defense showed that as of June 30 this year, there were 23 Marines "permanently stationed" in Taiwan, as well as 2 navy and 5 marines. The Air Force and many personnel who visited Taiwan briefly, a source disclosed in 2018 that about 3,500 to 4,000 Pentagon officials visit Taiwan each year, and some of them have honed the military skills of the Taiwan military.
A source familiar with these measures disclosed that U.S. special forces have been training Taiwan for many years. These strategies will help counter the PLA invasion. The report said that just as PLA continued to send military aircraft to disrupt Taiwan this month, U.S. troops were stationed in secret. The Taiwan news releases that, for the U.S. government, sending a signal of support to Taiwan may help maintain regional peace more lastingly.
News (23)
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Xi Jinping talk for the first time, involving multiple sensitive issues
Editor : Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/10/08/a103237907.html
Image : On Friday (8 October), Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke for the first time. (Getty images picture synthesis)
Japanese media NHK reported that after talking to Xi Jinping, Kishida said, "I frankly raised the concerns between the two countries from my side, and I suggest that we should continue the dialogue in the future."
Kishida said that his questions include the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa County (known as the Diaoyu Islands in China), Hong Kong, and Beijing's treatment of Xinjiang Uyghurs but he did not elaborate on these issues.
He said, "Because we are neighbors, there are many problems between Japan and China, but we will continue to have frank discussions with President Xi on the basis of today's meeting, while firmly insisting on what we should stick to."
The talks between the two lasted 30 minutes. Kishida said that the two agreed to work together on various common issues including North Korea.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping told Kishida in his conversation that the two countries should "properly" handle sensitive issues such as Taiwan. Xi Jinping also told Kishida that China and Japan should actively strengthen dialogue and economic policy coordination and promote regional cooperation.
According to the press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping said in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Kishida, “China and Japan are neighbours to each other. It is in the interests of both parties to maintain and develop friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, and is conducive to peace, stability, peace and prosperity in Asia and the world."
Recently, the situation in the Taiwan Strait has continued to be tense. For four consecutive days since 1 October, the CCP has dispatched nearly 150 military aircraft to disrupt Taiwan. The new Kishida administration said on Tuesday that Tokyo would prepare for “various situations” in response to Beijing’s tough stance on Taiwan, while reiterating its close security relationship with the United States.
According to a report by the Nikkei Asian Review, Fumio Kishida said in his first policy speech on Friday that he is determined to strengthen the Quad and stabilize relations with China. Quad includes the United States, Australia, and India, and aims to fight the CCP.
Kishida promised to "through cooperation with allies, vigorously promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region" through the Quartet Alliance. He also emphasized that "the Japan-US alliance is the core of our country's foreign and security policies."
News (24)
New U.S. entry regulations: 33 countries must use WHO-certified 6 vaccines, Taiwan unrestricted
Editor : Zhang Shizhe / news.tvbs.com.tw/world/1604007
Image : The CDC revealed on the 8th that the United States will abolish passenger entry restrictions in 33 countries from November 2021 but Taiwan is not within the restrictions of 33 countries, and nationals of these countries will still enter the U.S. must be vaccinated with 6 covi vaccines approved by WHO. There is no Medigen vaccine in the list of approved vaccines for entry into the United States from 33 countries. (Image/shutterstock Dazhi Image)
The White House announced on 20 September 2021 that the U.S. will abolish the restrictions on entry of the nationals of 33 countries due to the epidemic in November 2021. The 33 countries include 26 countries in the European Schengen area, as well as the United Kingdom, Ireland, China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Iran.
When the US epidemic was at its worst, President Biden announced one after another that Americans who had stayed in 33 countries in the past 14 days were barred from entering the country. 33 countries entering the United States must be fully vaccinated.
According to a report by Reuters, a US CDC spokesperson revealed that the rule will be cancelled from November but they still need to be fully vaccinated with 6 vaccines approved by WHO or FDA before entering the country. The 6 vaccines are from Pfizer-BioTech, AstraZeveca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinopharm and Sinovac but they do not include Medigen and Taiwan is not within the limits of the 33 countries.
News (25)
Does the 33-nation entry restrictions announced by the U.S. affect Taiwan? Chen Shizhong on Medigen's progress for international certification
Editor : Chen Yiling / news.tvbs.com.tw/life/1604219
Chen Shizhong pointed out that the U.S. announced policy on entrant recognition has not changed so far, and Taiwan has not been included in the restricted list, "still on the green list," and Taiwanese entry to the U.S. has not been restricted. For Medigen that is not listed as internationally recognized, what is the progress of the application for vaccine international recognition? Chen Shizhong revealed that the Medigen is striving to gain international recognition, and they will also work hard to assist, hoping to achieve international certification as soon as possible.
Should the concentration of neutralizing antibodies be adopted for the domestic border in the future? Chen Shizhong responded that things have changed rapidly, and international data are also changing with each passing day. If it is to be adopted in the future, whether it is the identification or the method, it will refer to the international data.
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