国内英语新闻:HKSAR gov't gravely concerned about EU's export control on COVID-19 vaccines

HONG KONG, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Saturday that the HKSAR government is gravely concerned about the European Union's announcement of implementing an export control mechanism, and if necessary, banning the export of COVID-19 vaccines.

The spokesman said the HKSAR government will closely monitor the development of the situation.

The spokesman said, "We noted that the European Union has stated in its announcement that it will strive to ensure that the new regulation does not affect the exports under advance purchase agreements already entered into between vaccine manufacturers and third parties."

The HKSAR government has proactively followed up with the vaccine manufacturers with whom it has entered into advance purchase agreements, actively striving to ensure that the vaccines procured can be supplied to Hong Kong as scheduled.

The HKSAR government has indicated to Fosun Pharma that it should reach out to the various relevant parties to ensure that the Fosun/BioNTech vaccine to be exported for supply to Hong Kong under advance purchase agreement will not be affected.

"We will continue to negotiate purchase agreements with vaccine manufacturers from around the world and the mainland so as to obtain more supplies of vaccines which meet the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality, and strive for the early supply of the vaccines to Hong Kong," the spokesman said.