#FakeNews #Disinformation
China Tampers With #WHO Video, Removes a Crucial "If", and Falsely Claims Vaccine Success

China's state-run CCTV News posted a video on Sept 24, 2020 to their Chinese-language Facebook page, claiming that WHO had stated that China's COVID-19 vaccine had "proved to be successful" in current clinical trials.

The video was reposted by a number of pro-Beijing Facebook pages, with captions such as "WHO Top Scientist: New Chinese COVID Vaccine Proven to be Effective", "China is Great 👍 For the Good of the World".

However, Factcheck Lab compared the video disseminated by China with the actual proceedings of WHO's press conference, and found that CCTV had cut the statement out of context, carefully removing a paronwith a crucial "if". Moreover, stock footage is played over the resulting audio clip, carefully concealing the distortion of facts upon the edits made by the China-owned news organization.

In the CCTV video [1], the quote from WHO Chief Scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, was modified to apparently claim that China had already created a successful vaccine:

"... very active vaccine development programme and several of their vaccine candidates are in advanced stages of clinical trial so this is also of interest to us so we're following those very closely. Some of their candidates actually proved to be successful in the clinical trials that are going on"

The full quote of Dr. Swaminathan is preserved in the conference transcripts [2] and video [3] of the Sept 21 press conference. The parts edited out by CCTV makes it sound that the above italicized quote was not meant to be an assertive statement on its own:

"We've been engaged in discussions with China for the last several months because, as you know, they also have a very active vaccine development programme and several of their vaccine candidates are in advanced stages of clinical trial so this is also of interest to us so we're following those very closely. <b>We've had very constructive and open discussions with them and they have always been reiterating their commitment to global access if some of their candidates actually prove to be successful in the clinical trials that are going on."

Taken in its entirety, it is clear that Dr Swaminathan's statement was only acknowledging China's promise to share any vaccines that they might develop.

In other words, the edited CCTV video, as well as the reposts made by pro-Beijing pages, had deliberately modified the scientist's statement to make false claims of China's success, and is clearly an intentional attempt to mislead the public.

NOTES:
[1] CCTV News video:
https://www.facebook.com/761870613900500/posts/3972027886218074

[2] Transcript of WHO COVID-19 Virtual Press Conference, 21 September 2020:

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/transcripts/joint-covid-19-virtual-press-conference---21-september.pdf#page=16

[3] Video of press conference, beginning at Dr. Swaminathan's statement (0:42:44):

https://youtu.be/ia8DElK7SE4?t=2564

Source: FactCheck Lab, Hong Kong #30Sept2020 https://www.factchecklab.org/20200930/

#WuhanPneumonia #CoronavirusPandemic #Covid19Vaccine
#CCPLies #CCTV

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[Editor's Note:

As the WHO represents the world's concerted effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, such misleading reports only serves to undermine the organization's credibility and international cooperation. It is all the more despicable that it would come from a state-run media such as China's CCTV; such falsehood is an affront to any journalist's commitment to the pursuit of the truth, and ought to be widely condemned.]

The false video was first reported by Factcheck Lab on Sept 30, 2020.

Their original report in Chinese is attached as follows:

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

China poised to be first to distribute virus vaccine in Latin America, U.S. Official says.

While the US focuses on “taking care of the US first”, China is “likely to beat the United States in its own backyard through vaccine diplomacy” by starting clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines in South America. China has begun vaccinating citizens in Brazil and Mexico even neither country has an approved vaccine. The Mexican government has even signed an advance purchase agreement to supply 35 million single-dose immunizations.

Admiral Craig S. Faller, leader of the United States Military’s Southern Command, conceded that “We’re in a global pandemic and I’ve taken the approach here that any help is legitimate help is welcome help, so I don’t make any judgment on that. If the vaccine works, folks need to do what they need to do as a nation.”

China has already expanded its influence in the South American region through its Belt and Road Initiative, loans across Latin America, a space mission control station in Argentina, port deals around the Panama Canal, and most recently, shipments of medical supplies and vaccinations to curb the pandemic.

Source: The New York Times #Dec02

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/us/politics/coronavirus-southern-command-china-latin-america.html?referringSource=articleShare

#Covid19Vaccine #China #US #South America

New Brazil data shows disappointing 50.4% efficacy for China's CoronaVac vaccine

On Jan 12, researches said that a coronavirus vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech was just 50.4% effective, barely enough for regulatory approval and well below the rate announced a week before, at preventing symptomatic infections in a Brazilian trial.

Researchers at Butantan delayed announcement of their results three times, blaming a confidentiality clause in a contract with Sinovac.

Butantan officials said the design of the Brazilian study, focusing on frontline health workers during a severe outbreak in Brazil and including elderly volunteers, made it impossible to compare the results directly with other trials or vaccines.

Source: Reuters #Jan13

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brazil-coronavirus/brazil-researchers-report-more-modest-50-4-efficacy-for-chinas-coronavac-idUSKBN29H2CE

#Brazil #Sinvac #Covid19Vaccine #VaccinTrial

China pushes “vaccine diplomacy” in Southeast Asia

China is using supplies of its Sinovac Biotech’s vaccine to boost its influence in Southeast Asia, which was the main focus of Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s tour in mid of January 2021.

“China wants to show that they are behind ASEAN countries as the vaccination stage of the pandemic approaches,” Aaron Jed Rabena, a research fellow at Manila-based think tank Asia Pacific Pathways to Progress.

Indonesia has a deal to receive about 230 million does of vaccine with Sinovac, Nocacax and WHO’s COVAX facility and government has received 3 million ready-to-use dose of Sinovac.

In Myanmar, Wang promised 300,00 dose of the Sinoca shots. The Chinese vaccine has also drawn attention in countries which Wang has not visited in this tour.

Source: Nikkei Asia #Jan16

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/China-pushes-vaccine-diplomacy-in-Southeast-Asia

#Covid19Vaccine #ChinaVaccineDiplomacy #China #CCP

Medical staff from China's CDC have disclosed new information about a #COVID19Vaccine.

They say a Chinese-made version has caused fatal #SideEffects.

🔥Watch the full episode👉https://youtu.be/oO0rg065N8I

Medical staff from China's CDC have disclosed new information about a #COVID19Vaccine.

They say a Chinese-made version has caused fatal #SideEffects.

🔥Watch the full episode👉https://youtu.be/oO0rg065N8I

Japan donates another 1.13 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Taiwan
Tsai Ing-wen thanks: A vaccine of friendship

Japan Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi announced this morning (6 July) that Japan will provide an additional 1.13 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Thursday (8 July). This is the second batch of vaccines offered, following 1.24 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine provided to Taiwan last month at no cost. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen thanked Japan for the donating the vaccine, supporting Taiwan in a prevention effort to fight against the disease, and described it as a "friendship vaccines".

According to Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan received promptly support from Taiwan after the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011. Mutual support and assistance have been under way in various fields such as humanitarian and interpersonal exchanges. As Taiwan needs assistance, Japan will lend a helping hand. Japan is very pleased to be the first to provide Taiwan vaccine assistance.

Source: Stand News #Jul06

https://bit.ly/3iJ8z1J

#Taiwan #Japan #TsaiIngwen #TaiwanPresident #ToshimitsuMotegi #JapaneseForeignMinister #TaiwaneseJapaneseRelation #COVID19vaccine #AstraZeneca

A girl from central China’s Henan Province died after getting a Chinese-made #COVID19Vaccine. Her mother was then beaten and detained after asking local authorities to look into her daughter’s #Death and seeking justice in Beijing.

🔶 Watch the full episode👉https://youtu.be/hRwdHKwRneU