Cuba-China cooperation leads to vaccine breakthrough

We’re pleased to re-publish this important article by Sara Flounders, posted in Workers World on 7 June 2022, about the progress made by a Cuban-Chinese cooperation project towards a universal coronavirus vaccine. Sara explains that these two socialist countries are far better positioned than their capitalist counterparts to work together on projects of long-term value to humanity, because their social systems are centered on meeting human need, as opposed to maximizing private profit. The article goes on to detail the outsized contribution made by China and Cuba to suppressing the pandemic in the developing world, as well as the ongoing and deepening cooperation between the two countries in a number of crucially important areas. Sara concludes: “The growing scientific cooperation of China and Cuba represents a hopeful future for humanity. Global problems can be solved. What is required is economic planning, cooperation and sharing of scientific knowledge and technology.”

Cuba and China formally announced June 2 that they have filed for joint patent for a Pan-Corona vaccine. The new vaccine, a collaboration between the biotechnological sectors of the two countries, is the first patent for a single vaccine effective against the many variants of COVID-19.

News of the jointly developed vaccine is particularly exciting because of the two countries’ cooperative approach in a field that is highly competitive, secretive and totally profit-oriented in Western capitalist countries.

Breakthrough in emerging virus protection

The Pan-Corona vaccine was announced to be effective against present variants of COVID-19 and thus of value in the current pandemic. 

But its strength is that it could also be effective against the appearance of new pathogens belonging to this family of viruses, noted Eduardo Martínez Díaz, president of the state-owned BioCubaFarma Business Group. (telesurenglish.net, June 3)

The Pan-Corona project is based in a joint biotechnological research and development center, operating since 2019 in the city of Yongzhou in Hunan province, and led by experts from Cuba’s Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB). Dr. Gerardo Guillén Nieto, the center’s director of Biomedical Research, explained the project arose at the request of the Chinese and had the approval of Cuba’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment. The equipment and laboratories at the Yongzhou center were designed by Cuban scientific personnel. (Radio Havana Cuba, June 3)

The two countries focused on coronaviruses because of the global pandemic and because this is the family of viruses most likely to jump from animals to humans. This phenomenon, called zoonosis, was the cause of previous epidemics such as the 2002 SARS outbreak and the 2012 MERS infection — both serious respiratory illnesses. 

Capitalist research competes for profit 

The cooperative approach used by Cuba and China does get debated as a research need by those practicing Western medicine. 

But the capitalist pharmaceutical research industry is solely oriented to development of vaccines and medicines for the highest rate of immediate profit and the largest number of sales. A vaccine with a series of booster shots for each separate strain of the current coronavirus — and then the additional sale of entirely new vaccines for each emerging infection — means billions of dollars in sales and profit for the pharmaceutical industry. 

Cooperation for short-term or long-term solutions threatens the future of this for-profit industry. 

The pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., the European Union and Japan — the major capitalist economies — are very willing to accept government funding to develop vaccines. However, control of the patents and resulting profits from that research is always privately expropriated by the corporate stockholders.

Once the vaccines are developed through government funding, then the governments that backed the research have to buy back the products from the corporations — at high prices. Market control and private corporate ownership are the primary concerns.

Peoples Vaccine Alliance estimated in 2021 that the companies behind three of the most successful COVID-19 vaccines — Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna — were making combined profits of $65,000 every minute, $1,000 a second. These companies have sold the majority of their doses to wealthy countries, leaving behind low-income countries with unvaccinated populations, gravely ill people and mounting death tolls. Pfizer and BioNTech have delivered less than 1% of their total vaccine supplies to low-income countries, while Moderna has delivered just 0.2%. (tinyurl.com/29w8pdda)

Cooperation creates solutions

Economies based on social planning and public ownership of major industries have the ability to develop solutions through strategies impossible to be used by privately owned industries. Socialist countries have the capacity to seek common solutions to global challenges through cooperation and solidarity.

China has provided over 2 billion vaccine doses and an array of other supplies and assistance to more than 150 countries, regions and international organizations during the pandemic. 

Cuba — despite the U.S. blockade, its small size of 11 million people and its limited resources — has continued its highly developed medical research and sent more than 40 medical teams to more than 30 countries to fight COVID-19. Cuban and Chinese medical teams have maintained coordination in many developing countries and contributed jointly to the fight against COVID-19. 

The U.S. corporate media has sought to discredit and undermine this solidarity and discredit the extensive medical treatment that is generously provided by these two socialist-oriented countries. But the capitalist U.S. cannot match their accomplishments. Instead, it can only impose sanctions in a desperate effort to halt their steady progress. 

The world needs far more cooperation and joint efforts to overcome the immediate pandemic and the environmental crisis and health problems of the future. Increasingly countries hobbled by U.S. economic sanctions see that cooperation is the way to survive. 

Decades of cooperation

The decades of cooperation between Cuba and China is summarized in a report jointly written by Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernández, of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba to the People’s Republic of China, and Huiyao Wang and Dr. Lu Miao, of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) in Beijing. (PDF available at doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8086-1_20)

“Cuba and China, a Paradigmatic Partnership in a Changing World Context” outlines their potential to strengthen public health cooperation, promote health services and build production and trade of medicines. The report explains that mutual solidarity and support can turn the joint fight against COVID-19 into a new symbol of friendship and an example of both bilateral and global cooperation:

“The high-level bilateral political relationship and the unwavering friendship between the two communist parties, governments and people allow us to continue to strengthen a strategic alliance and a special relationship. As socialist countries . . . Cuba and China have unlimited potential, which both sides must take advantage of for the benefit of our people and humanity.”

As the report summarizes, the connection between the two revolutions for socialism dates to September 2, 1960, when revolutionary Cuba broke relations with Taiwan and recognized the People’s Republic of China.

In November 1960, an official government economic delegation led by revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara visited China, where he was received by Chairman Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders. The governments of the two countries signed their first economic and technological cooperation agreement more than 60 years ago. 

Today, many Chinese companies are involved in priority projects in Cuba, and many of these projects are linked to the construction and modernization of infrastructure, telecommunications, renewable energies and the tourism sector.

Sharing biotechnology 

The Joint Group for Biotechnological Cooperation Cuba-China reflects this bilateral cooperation in the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical sector. This has reached unprecedented levels, with both countries determined to continue expanding for the benefit of both peoples.

BioCubaFarma promotes cooperation and business with Chinese companies and institutions in the field of biotechnology and pharma industry. The relationship advances product development to gain faster registration approvals for its products in China. BCF is working with local Chinese governments in four cities: Chengdu, Yongzhou, Shanghai and Changchun, as well as with universities and institutes to foster innovation by setting up research-and-development centers and joint laboratories.

Three Chinese/Cuban ventures are making important contributions to human health and agriculture: Biotech Pharmaceutical in Beijing, Changchun Heber Biological Technology in Jilin province and Shandong Lukang Heber in Shandong province. These develop innovative treatments for diseases of high incidence like cancer, diabetes and hepatitis and have transferred a total of 10 technologies to China thus far.

Cooperation for the future of humanity

Cuba and China’s practical cooperation has extended to fields of agriculture, biotechnology, biomedicine, neurosciences and nanosciences. It includes climate change, natural resources and environment, scientific and technological parks and programs to develop young talent.

Capitalism’s drive to maximize profits every quarter means that the system has no structure capable of overall long-term planning. The economic system itself requires ruthless competition. No matter how needed, cooperation is impossible. 

The growing scientific cooperation of China and Cuba represents a hopeful future for humanity. Global problems can be solved. What is required is economic planning, cooperation and sharing of scientific knowledge and technology.

4 thoughts on “Cuba-China cooperation leads to vaccine breakthrough”

  1. Congratulations to China and Cuba. China did some first live virus inoculations with Small pox for centuries .
    A live GI coronavirus inoculation will impart no sore injection site no pain. The live coronavirus family provides best defense with least auto immune reactions. Side effects will be virtually nil. Well done. GI infection crosses gut in miniscule amounts and does NOT cause lung damage. Best of all GI immunity stops respiratory transmission. Very well done. I would love to speak about this .

  2. THE CUBA CHINA PAN CORONAVIRUS VACCINE IS VAST IMPROVEMENT OVER SPIKE BASED COVID ANTIGEN VACCINES
    The Pan-Corona virus vaccine is an intramuscular vaccine shot . It differs from prior intramuscular vaccines because it will use a COVID antigen that is NOT the highly mutated spike protein. By avoiding use of spike protein antigens , the future spike mutations will not stop vaccine efficacy. It will NOT be a live virus based on inoculation or the traditions of Asian medicine . No intramuscular vaccines stop lung viral transmission until a GI immunity exists from live virus infection. Accidental GI Covid infections usually occur without any lung symptoms . Some mild nausea occurs occasionally or a single loose stool after eating. Some testing will need to be done especially on very early pregnancy. But the Pan Coronavirus Vax will huge improvement over Pfizer based on spike. It does not have its efficacy reduced by Covid spike mutations. In China there was Zero- Covid policy and it will be highly useful in China where there was extremely low exposure and thus low community acquired immunity. So, the China Cuba Pan Coronavirus vax will be far better than spike based Pfizer.
    DPRK DID NOT USE CHINA CUBA PAN VACCINE
    The vaccine was not available at time of DPRK covid epidemic in May. The vast majority over 90 percent of DPRK were unvaccinated. During epidemic in DPRK only 3 per 100000 infected died .That 1/100 the death rate of USA done without vaccination. But through use of secret method DPRK achieved lowest COVID mortality.

    ORAL COVID IS VERY SAFE TO EAT OR DRINK
    THE WHO STATEMENT ON COVID FOOD SAFETY SUPPORTS THE SAFETY OF DIGESTIVE COVID
    It is highly unlikely that people can contract COVID-19 from
    food or food packaging. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, and the primary transmission route is through
    person-to person contacts and through direct contact with respiratory droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes. [update now WHO admits that coronavirus is aerosol spread] .There is no evidence to date of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses being transmitted via food or food packaging. [aerosolized covid variants can transfer on mail and packages] [https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331705/WHO-2019-nCoV-Food_Safety-2020.1-eng.pdf
    Modern mutant covid variants are much better aerosolized .
    Eating covid is safe and can give GI infection that protects you. No one dies from eating COVID. I have eaten it often. The virus is heavier than air . When people are speaking and exhaling viruses it settled on their food.
    They also have droplets that deposit in upper airways that are swallowed as saliva. The trachea moves particles to be swallowed using cilia to the throat where they are swallowed. Then the virus trash heads to the stomach where most virus is killed by acid. But some virus does make it through and is processed most effectively at small intestine where it enters the small intestinal cell and processes of GI immunity.

    DID DPRK USE TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE [GI COVID]
    DPRK had widespread fever in unvaccinated population that was COVID epidemic. KJU and DPRK had studied inoculation in traditional Chinese medicine. DPRK and China had studied GI immunity. DPRK needed only to put some live coronavirus in water or food supply. If coronavirus was swallowed the DPRK population would develop widespread GI immunity that would protect the lungs of population. So DPRK without vaccination had death rate 1/100 of USA may have used live virus and applying principles of traditional Chinese medicine to immunity. KJU understood that once GI infection occurred, he could not transmit and no longer need mask. Pictures on internet show KJU does not wear mask. KJU confirmed his GI infection using stool antigen test. Once KJU had confirmed GI infection he could skip the unnecessary mask. Now KJU and DPRK knew much more about Covid than was published. Of course, KJU and DPRK may have had help from socialist friends including China.
    DPRK mentions collecting rainwater to drink. The virus is heavier than air and settled on roof and water collection, so the live virus was in rainwater. So, during aerosolized pandemic Pyongyang could drink water or eat food contaminated expose their GI tract to Covid and be completely safe. Actually whether deliberately or by accident GI exposure was best thing for immunity prior to respiratory exposure. It was better to avoid respiratory exposure, but the mutations caused better aerosolization . Zero Covid policy of DPRK had to be balanced with need to protect economic output. However, if DPRK deliberately exposed GI tract , it might need to keep that secret. The CDC and WHO hypocrites only want solutions to COVID that they control.
    Now I live in USA under US legal authority, but I ate COVID deliberately fully aware of all risks . I confirmed my GI tract infection with stool PCR . However, there is nothing monetary to gain since medicine in USA is about profits for oligarchs and I am no oligarch . Live Covid virus in food or water is merely extension of traditional Chinese medicine. DPRK should not let CDC know how it achieved its results since any information will be only twisted to suit policies of Big Pharma and CDC. DPRK is exercising the right to remain silent about how it achieves lowest mortality in the world. Smart move. But I cannot exclude that DPRK has developed some other secret method of reducing COVID mortality to 1/100th the US rate.

    FLOURIDE IS IN WATER SUPPLY SO WHY NOT COVID?
    Public health departments add fluoride to water supply around the world. What is added to the water supply is determined by local health department. If a population could be protected from lung infections by adding Covid to water or food supply during pandemic it should be done. Certainly the CDC is no friend of DPRK and should not be informed of exactly how DPRK achieved immunity. The CDC would not praise DPRK for its achievement but criticize DPRK for not following path leading to dependence on Western Capitalist vaccine system.

    THE GI TRACT MAKES COVID IMMUNITY BUT NOT THE LUNGS
    Covid lung infections spread millions of viruses. The lungs have limited resources to process immune defense. In COVID lung infection the virus is exhaled to mouth and nose. The saliva and nasal mucosa get contaminated with COVID, and nasal and oral swabs are positive for Covid. The saliva or nose is tested for antigen and confirms presence of virus. But always the lung infection contaminates saliva that is swallowed. The swallowed saliva goes to GI tract where virus infects intestine . GI infection leads to development of immunity that defends rest of body. In ordinary Covid infection the immune defense is created through GI tract not lungs. Once sufficient GI tract immunity occurs the respiratory tract then respiratory transmission stops.
    It is well known that those with accidental Covid infections swallow the virus develop immunity and stop respiratory transmission.
    TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE USED LIVE VIRUS INOCULATION
    For centuries Chinese traditional medicine used live virus for treating Smallpox. The Chinese practitioner would scrape live virus off the pustule from actively infected person and put it in contact with skin or nose. Live virus Chinese inoculation was highly effective and dropped mortality by 99 percent from smallpox. Eventually pharmaceutical companies took over vaccination and the practice of live virus was eliminated among Chinese traditional medicine.
    YOU EAT MILLIONS OF VIRUSES EVERY DAY
    Viruses are everywhere. Each day you eat thousands to millions. Yes, its sounds gross but your body has a GI surveillance system that gets those viruses and develops the very best response specifically for you. Each person is unique and has unique proteins. The virus you accidentally eat are processed by accidentally eating and they infect the GI tract cells. During a COVID infection you swallow about 1000 cc of saliva per day with up to a million virus per cc. So easily a covid patient swallows a billion covid virus a day in early infection. I acquired positive stool PCR covid antigen without ever turning mouth or nose COVID positive. There were many GI tract infections and GI immunity throughout community. It happened accidentally without public knowing or understanding GI covid infection.
    THE RECEPTORS FOR COVID IN GI TRACT ARE USED FOR MOST IMMUNE DEFENSE
    The GI tract has receptors that exist in rest of body. These specific receptors are on some not all of GI tract cells. This allows any virus in your environment to present to GI tract.
    The GI tract individual cell will die once infected, but that amount is small, and you never have GI perforation from viral infection. Yes, some of the virus spreads in portal circulation as travels to liver. But the GI tract immune system allows individual GI tract cells to be easily replaced.
    The GI tract can then process the virus and with dozens of other viruses that presented that day. Quickly the GI tract develops immunity to protect rest of body. There was fear that GI infection of COVID might be fatal . But in billions of infections there have been almost no perforations of GI tract by invading virus. So, GI tract immunity was always occurring every day of your life, but you had no knowledge of it. Best of all most GI immunity develops immunity without associated vaccine shot side effects including a sore arm fever chills body aches that are associated with a vaccine shot in arm.
    GI TRACT IMMUNITY ALLOWS PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
    So, for thousands of years the common man would work and cut their hands on tools and weapons. The peasants would accidentally inhale viruses be bitten by wild animal or inhale aerosolized virus. When you take an antigen and shoot it into your body you will get an immune reaction. When a dog bites you get local response . Once billions of trillions of zillions of viruses surround you it is inevitable some will penetrate to system. Fortunately, God gave man a GI tract to process these live viruses. When Pfizer spike antigen is shot intramuscular it duplicates a bloodstream viral infection and you get fever chills muscle aches just like the flu. However, I can and did eat covid numerous times DELIBERATELY without systemic symptoms. The common man would have the same virus in food supply . The GI tract immunity allowed common man to tolerate thousands of viruses with minimal symptoms. Now occasionally you get a GI tract rotavirus virus that infects far too large a portion of the GI tract cells. The result is that too many of GI tract cells die you vomit get diarrhea. But that is with ROTAVIRUS. Rotavirus does not kill you, but you may get dehydrated and need IV fluids. So never swallow rotovirus which can cause severe cramps diarrhea vomiting.
    However, once I swallow enough covid to get GI infection I have tolerance. I can drink COVID in water supply day after day all year long without symptoms. In this way GI covid has lowest side effect profile.
    I may eat fresh vegetables daily and have a specific virus on food or water daily for a year. If I eat a specific rotavirus, I will get a . If it is coronavirus, I might get a lose stool .Yet I will still be able to eat same virus daily. So, eating drinking covid daily for year is safe. But If I take Pfizer shot daily for a month the auto immune side effects would cause severe illness or death within two months. Even Pfizer never gave test animals daily vaccines for 30 doses since the results would be terrifying.
    DPRK DOES NOT LIE
    Many who are indoctrinated with capitalist media do not believe the achievements of DPRK. Despite malicious sanctions the DPRK technology has survived and thrived. The DPRK did develop nukes with unique properties. It has outstanding ICBM SLBM and even hypersonic missiles. The DPRK has Chinese socialist friends that want it to succeed in new endeavor controlling COVID. The DPRK credibility is very precious, and they rely on credibility when making statements about national defense whether it is nuclear weapons or Covid. So I believe the DPRK was capable of unique response using inoculation and traditional Chinese medicine to treat COVID and obtain excellent results.
    The DPRK is reluctant to publish methods when Western Media controlled by oligarchs will only criticize the DPRK methods. No doubt DPRK shares methods with China who will collaborate controlling COVID .

  3. I am from Vancouver,Canada and i wanted to say that in the early 1950s when i was around 4 or 5 year old i had Polio which was common in Canada at the time. My father took me to the hospital where i received a vaccine for Polio. The Vaccine had just come out in the early 1950s.So i got over the Polio.I didn’t need several shots. One was enough.Several years later i received a vaccine for Tuberculosis and another for Smallpox.At that time i didn’t need several shots to control Tuberculosis and Smallpox which was also common in Canada at the time.
    I often wondered why at this time i needed several shots of Vaccine to control Covid-19. By reading this article i got the answer to that. Keep up the good work!

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