Whereas hardcore western-liberal media like euroactiv are lashing out against China charging it with misusing the 17-plus-1 summit to bribe Eastern Europe into its sphere of influence with promises of vaccine, the independent german-foreign-policy.com website, in an analysis of the summit, points to something else:
“Already in the spring of 2020, the EU had effectively cut off support for the five non-EU countries in Southeast Europe, by imposing an export ban on protective medical equipment. China then stepped in, at least partially, providing Serbia with the appropriate relief supplies. Berlin and Brussels reacted with the accusation that Beijing was engaging in ‘mask diplomacy.’ The development is similar in regards to the Covid-19 vaccines. The EU had flamboyantly announced its intentions to seek to supply the world with vaccines, when in fact, it has not even been capable of providing its own member countries with the necessary doses of vaccines. For the second time, China is coming to Serbia’s aid. It has now delivered a million doses of vaccine to that country. Serbia has now been able to immunize 8/100 members of the population— placing it in third place behind Great Britain (18.86 immunizations per 100 inhabitants) and Malta (8.89/100). Germany has immunized 3.91/100. Recently, Hungary became the first EU member country to order vaccines in China and expects to receive the first installment of the five million doses in the course of this month. That will suffice to immunize around one quarter of the population. At yesterday’s ‘17 +1’ summit, China’s President Xi Jinping promised further deliveries.”
