Asia’s struggle to vaccinate millions Xi’s priorities Muhyiddin’s gamble MCI(P) 053/04/2020 February 2021 BIDEN’S FOREIGN AGENDA A BIG SHIFT? WE BRING YOU SINGAPORE AND THE WORLD UP TO DATE IN THE KNOW News | Live blog | Mobile pushes Web specials | Newsletters | Microsites WhatsApp | SMS Special Features IN THE LOOP ON THE WATCH Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Videos | FB live | Live streams To subscribe to the free newsletters, go to str.sg/newsletters All newsletters connect you to stories on our straitstimes.com website. Data Digest Covid-19 vaccines: Types, routes & effectiveness WITH OVER 102 MILLION INFECTIONS Different routes to a Covid-19 vaccine and more than two million deaths How the leading contenders in the race to establish effective inoculation against the globally, much attention is now focused Sars-CoV-2 virus have approached the task on the vaccines in the works. Of the 237 vaccines in development, 64 are How vaccines work in various phases of clinical testing. 22 • Vaccines are all designed • There are four main • All methods rely • APC identifies • Immune cells will are currently in phase 3 of clinical trials, to safely trigger the body’s approaches towards on APC to initiate peptides, then be enabled to natural immune response developing a vaccine the immune snippets of recognise and with 18 still in phase 1, which include to Sars-CoV-2 against the virus response virus protein neutralise the virus testing the vaccine in a small number of healthy people. 1 Virus • Beijing Institute/Sinopharm* There are four main types of Covid-19 vaccines • Wuhan Institute/Sinopharm • Bharat Biotech/ ICMR vaccines in the works. Most of these Inject the target virus directly, • Sinovac/Instituto Butantan vaccines work by “showing” the immune Inst. of Medical Biology/CAMS T-helper cell after it has been • Antigen Sinovac Uses snippets to system an important part of a virus and made safe • presenting recognise virus. Deploys “training” it to recognise and remember • RI for Bio. Safety Problems cell (APC) next line of defence the pathogen without exposing the NOTE: *Licenced in at least one market patient to the risk of disease. However, the mRNA (or Nucleic-acid) vaccines, like Inactivated virus non-replicating the Covid-19 ones by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, differ from traditional vaccines T cell Spike Destroys in that they contain only fragments of proteins 4 Protein-based infected the virus’ genetic material, instead of the Weakened vaccines B cell cells whole virus. virus replicates Inject protein subunits or Creates empty shells of target virus antibodies that The vaccine being co-developed Non- directly into the body stop the virus by Duke-NUS Medical School and infecting cells replicating • Novavax American pharmaceutical company • Anhui Zhifei/CAS Arcturus Therapeutics vaccine is also a Replicating version • Medicago Inc mRNA type, with human trials currently • Clover/GSK/Dynavax Virus Viral-vector • Covaxx under way. These vaccines do not require 2 vaccines manipulating the actual virus, and are replication Use a different virus safer and quicker to produce. Cell genetically engineered Meanwhile, Sinovac’s vaccine is an nucleus to produce target virus 3 Nucleic-acid vaccines proteins inactivated virus vaccine, meaning that Inject mRNA • Pfizer/BioNTech the viruses can no longer replicate, even Host cell • Uni of Oxford/AstraZeneca from the target • Moderna/NIAID though their proteins, including the Typically in the • Janssen virus into cells, • Inovio/IVI to create target spike protein, remained intact. respiratory tract • CanSino/Beijing Institute • Osaka Uni/AnGes/Takara Gamaleya proteins • CureVac Another type of vaccine, the viral- • vector vaccine, makes use of a common Phase 3 or licenced candidates being tracked by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine virus, called adenovirus, to transport a small fragment of Sars-CoV-2 gene into Vaccine effectiveness cells. Such viral vectors are weakened so Comparison of commonly used vaccines with those used against Covid-19 that they pose little risk of causing illness 19% 45% 60% 70%* 79.3% 92% 94.1% 95% 97% 99% compared with a natural infection. 90 Among the vaccines, Pfizer- BioNTech and Moderna’s vaccines currently hold 62 the highest efficacy of 95 per cent and 94.1 per cent respectively. Astra-Zaneca’s vaccine lags behind with an average of 2014-15 2019-20 2010-11 AstraZeneca Sinopharm Sputnik V Moderna Pfizer German Polio 70 per cent efficacy. In comparison, the (estimate) /Oxford /BioNTech measles, efficacy of the vaccine for seasonal flu measles seasonal flu vary from 19 to varies from 19 per cent to 60 per cent. 60%, depending on year Covid-19 Source: AFP Text sources: NYTIMES, AFP NOTE: *Average results obtained from two different methodologies ranging from 62 to 90% effectiveness STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS 1 Warren Fernandez Editor-in-Chief, The Straits Times & SPH’s English, Malay and Tamil Media (EMTM) Group Shefali Rekhi Asian Insider Editor Peter Williams Production & Design Editor Eugene Leow AI Video Supervising Editor Dominic Nathan Managing Editor (EMTM) ADVERTISING Maureen Wee Head of Advertising Sales [email protected] Helen Lee Head of Advertising, Product Development and Innovation [email protected] EDITORIAL DESK Ronald Kow Sub-editor, The Straits Times 16 Dominique Nelson Journalist, The Straits Times Eye on vaccines Asia’s struggle to vaccinate millions DESIGN Marlone Rubio Executive Artist Anil Kumar Visual Journalist Gareth Chung PHOTO: REUTERS Senior Executive Artist CIRCULATION Eric Ng Cover Story Opinion Head, Circulation Marketing US set to remain tough Can Asia help Biden? Tommy Ong on China, here to stay in Asia Senior Manager (Circulation) 4 10 Engaging China, North Korea REACH OUT TO US: among Biden’s top Asia goals Circulation & subscription: China Watch Louis Koh Xi’s priorities in 2021: Senior Executive Biden’s key team for Asia Economy and Covid-19 [email protected] 13 Asia’s hopes from Biden Can domestic consumption WE WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK drive growth in China? AND VIEWS Letters can be sent to [email protected] Published by Regional hotspots The Straits Times, Singapore Beijing thinks US is flirting with Press Holdings (SPH) 24 possibility of Taiwan rejoining UN Printed by Times Printers Private Limited China’s mega dam project seen All rights reserved. No part as looming threat in India of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Country Report Will Suga still be Japan’s PM at 30 the end of this year? Cover illustration: CHNG CHOON HIONG Why India is in an uproar over WhatsApp chats 2 AsianInsider February 2021 contents 27 South-east Asia Watch Malaysia PM Muhyiddin’s future rides on bringing Covid-19 under control PHOTO: INFORMATION MINISTRY MALAYSIA Investment Watch Power Play Tech investors flock to In tussle for influence, 35 Indonesia’s titans in shift away 42 US and China may have from start-ups to woo another Duterte People Business Watch Peking University ‘prodigy’ is Jack Ma reappears but Ant’s 44 rising political star 37 troubles far from over Entertainment Business Trends Will Japan’s entertainment 47 industry see a renaissance? China’s electric vehicle 38 market gains speed Hot wheels landing in 2021 Life: Books 50 10 books to read in 2021 Big Picture New virus restrictions 52 threaten Hong Kong’s last true junk: The Dukling 3 Cover Story US set to remain tough on China, here to stay in Asia Asia is keenly tracking newly inaugurated American President Joe Biden’s foreign policy for the region US President Joe Biden seen before signing an AS PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S CABINET GETS TO of State Antony Blinken told a Senate panel that Executive Order in the work, the signals on foreign policy are clear enough: China under President Xi Jinping had “become more South Court Auditorium the United States is here to stay in Asia and does assertive, making clear that it seeks to become the at the White House on Jan 25 in Washington, DC. not expect any change of heart on China – the leading country in the world”. PHOTO: AFP competition that overshadows all other issues in In the high-stakes competition to shape the Asia. norms and standards that other countries ascribe Mr Biden’s promise in his inaugural address to, America has an obligation to ensure its model NIRMAL GHOSH that the US would repair its alliances and re- carries the day, said Mr Blinken. US Bureau Chief engage with the world and the forceful statements When asked about Taiwan, he said the US would on China by key members of his Cabinet during like Taiwan to play a greater role internationally, their confirmation hearings have raised questions and asserted that the US was committed to “making about which aspects of Trump-era policies the new sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself administration will roll back or retain. against aggression”. Dr Daniel Russel, vice-president for international Yet, while it is an adversarial relationship, there security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy are still areas where cooperation is in China’s and Institute, said: “President Biden is somebody the US’ mutual interest, he noted. who genuinely believes that America’s steady And the plan to deal with China involves engagement, its presence in the Asia-Pacific, has strengthening America at home; working with [email protected] stabilised the region, that it’s created economic allies instead of denigrating them; leading in opportunities and that it’s fostered good governance.” international institutions instead of ceding space He added: “And he, I think, like the countries in to China; standing against human rights abuses in the region, also doesn’t want to see a Chinese sphere Xinjiang and democracy erosion in Hong Kong; and of influence by default because the United States investing in America’s military.