This shipment is part of the 80 million batches the Biden administration plans to deliver to developing countries to reduce the gap between vaccination in developed and developing countries.
The United States is competing with China in vaccine diplomacy to win over foreign countries with massive shipments. Of course, the US government justifies the shipments on the grounds that it wants to save lives abroad rather than win over allies.
Presidential adviser Edgar Kagan told Reuters that the United States has sent “safe and effective” vaccines to Malaysia at a time of greatest need and plans to ship more shipments to the region in the near future. Another official said that the US leadership is working to get the vaccines to Southeast Asia as quickly as possible.
The US leadership has already announced that vaccines will be donated to the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia. For example, 4 million Moderna vaccines are sent to Indonesia.
In addition to the above promises, the United States will purchase 500 million vaccines from Pfizer, which will be sent to 92 low/middle income countries.
(Reuters)
Cover Photo: Getty Images
