Chile hopes Biden's administration will not repeat COVID-19 vaccine 'trade war'

Many countries have expressed a change in a relationship after Joe Biden was unofficially declared the President-elect of the US. The Chilean health minister, too, said he hopes the US will not get involved in COVID-19 vaccine false trade wars under the new leadership.

Enrique Paris, Chile's health minister, said he believes Biden's leadership will allow other countries to present a more united front against the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine.

"There was a trade war in which those who could pay more got more and those who could take things out of or even rupture distribution chains did so," he said in an interview.

Paris said he has seen one of the worst dealings of medical supplies from the side of the US. "It was horrible and I hope it doesn't happen again," Paris said. "I believe that Mr. Biden has another vision of what is diplomacy and global understanding between countries."

He hopes now that under Biden's leadership will allow for countries to present a more united front against the coronavirus pandemic. He also said he is expecting that the commercial battles by several countries will come to a halt, including in the United States, now with a change in leadership.

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"We should not think of ourselves as in a zone of stability," he said. "We must not lower our guard."

Chile is worried that vaccine, such as Pfizer which has proved 90 per cent effective in trials, would not be provided to the Latin American states, as the countries prepare for the second wave of coronavirus.

"We proposed as ministers that there should be just one format ... a more equitable way for everyone to choose or for everyone to receive the vaccines that the WHO deems appropriate for each country," he said.