by Thomson Reuters
By Steve Scherer
OTTAWA (Reuters) – The end to a collaboration on a coronavirus vaccine between Chinese firm CanSino Biologics and Canada’s National Research Council was not “always” tied to diplomatic tensions in between the 2 nations, Canada’s foreign minister stated on Thursday.
Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne fulfilled his Chinese equivalent Wang Yi for about 90 minutes on Tuesday in Rome, where he advised Beijing to launch two Canadian residents it has actually detained.
The two ministers also “discussed the significance of international collaboration in the face of COVID-19, consisting of the search for a vaccine,” according to a statement.
The following day Canada’s National Research study Council stated it had ended its collaboration on a coronavirus vaccine with CanSino because the company lacked the authority to deliver the vaccine at this time.
” We are going through a challenging time” in bilateral relations, Champagne told press reporters on a teleconference call from Beirut, “but I would not always make a link in between that conversation and the Canadian or the Chinese position.”
Ties in between the two nations weakened in December 2018 after Canadian cops detained Meng Wanzhou, primary financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL], on a U.S. extradition warrant.
Not Long After, China arrested Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and charged them with spying. It also blocked imports of some canola seed.
The end of the vaccine partnership had nothing to do with soured diplomatic relations, Chinese foreign ministry representative Zhao Lijian said at a daily news instruction earlier on Thursday.
Champagne also did not eliminate collaboration with China or Chinese business on health problems or COVID-19 in the future.
” When it comes to international health, when it pertains to concerns around global health and handling concerns around COVID, I believe it is sensible for us to be speaking to each other,” Champagne added.
( Reporting by Steve Scherer in Ottawa, Additional reporting by Cate Cadell in Beijing; Composing by Roxanne Liu; Modifying by Jason Neely and Matthew Lewis)
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