On September 30, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and Daxing District jointly invited foreign journalists to visit Daxing Biomedicine Industrial Base and to have in-depth exchanges with Sinovac and other biotechnology enterprises. Centering on the strengths of Beijing in its medical and health industry, this event invited journalists of mainstream media from more than 60 countries in Asia Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Caribbean to learn more about the biomedical industry, help enterprises to "go global" and deepen international cooperation.
As a national biomedical industry base, Daxing Biomedicine Industrial Base is home to a group of prestigious scientific research institutes, Fortune 500 companies and high-tech projects. It has witnessed the coordinated development of six major sectors, including biopharmaceuticals, innovative chemicals, modern Chinese medicine, high-end medical devices, digital health care and big health, as well as a number of innovative achievements with international influence.
In Yiling Pharmaceutical, foreign journalists were briefed on the Base and the development and international cooperation of the Company. As an important engine of Beijing's innovation and development, medical and healthcare is one of the high-end, precision and sophisticated industries in Beijing. Daxing is the southern base of Beijing's layout of "One South, One North" pharmaceutical industry clusters. It boasts a beautiful environment, great infrastructure, a high concentration of industries, and active independent innovation. The foreign journalists said that they were so delighted to have the chance to visit the Base and experience the innovative development of Beijing's pharmaceutical industry up close, and it was such a fruitful trip.
In Sinovac, foreign journalists visited the exhibit hall of "Vaccine·Hope" to learn more about vaccines, from pathogens to the history of global epidemics, from the R&D of SARS vaccines to hepatitis A and influenza vaccines. While exploring vaccines and human health, they listened carefully to the introduction, without missing any details. At the workshop of Covid-19 vaccine concentrates, quality control department, and innovative production and research base, foreign journalists took a close look at the production process and the innovative R&D and high-quality development of Sinovac. They were amazed to learn that Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine has been approved in over 60 countries, organizations and regions since the outbreak of Covid-19, with a cumulative global shipment of over 2.9 billion doses, contributing to the vaccine security for the world, especially for developing countries. In the Q&A session, the journalists took an active part in the communication and voiced their hope for Sinovac and other Beijing biotech enterprises to set up factories in their countries and deepen cooperation with local companies. Besides, they also expressed their willingness to fully utilize their resources in the media to serve as a bridge for international cooperation.
Tristan, a journalist from CNN Philippines, said that the trip to Sinovac was very exciting. "We Filipinos are very grateful to China. China has donated a lot of vaccines to us, which has helped a lot in our fight against the epidemic. Today I am very happy to see with my own eyes how vaccines are produced, so it is a great opportunity and an honor for me to be here today."
"This is an unforgettable trip for me," said Michael, a journalist of Nigeria's This Day. "I know that China is one of the largest vaccine producers in the world, and it was a rare opportunity for me to come to the Sinovac factory and see some processes of vaccine production. Nigeria is not capable of producing vaccines by itself. Our vaccines are mostly from China, and China has donated a lot of vaccines to us. Today, I saw how a manufacturer like Sinovac ensures good quality control of vaccines and makes the best vaccines in the world, which is very reassuring for us."
The "Foreign Journalists in Beijing" event was planned and organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and China Public Diplomacy Association. The event focuses on the development of the capital in the new era, the integration of Five Key Initiatives into the new development pattern, and the development priorities and highlights of each district. Combining visits and immersive experience, the event invited foreign journalists from China International Press Communication Center 2022 to take a closer look at Beijing, to visit enterprises in industrial parks, communities and towns, to go down the streets, and to learn more about all aspects of the city, so as to show a real and comprehensive Beijing to the world.
