It’s unfair to label Chinese products as faulty: Embassy

Hints Variations In Test Results Could Be Due To Improper Use

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:29.04.2020

After ICMR's rejection of Chinese rapid test kits, China on Tuesday said it was unfair and irresponsible for "certain individuals" to label Chinese products as faulty and look at issues with "preemptive prejudice”.

Recalling statements by the manufacturers that the kits had been validated and approved by ICMR, the embassy here expressed hope that India will respect China’s "goodwill and sincerity" and strengthen communication with relevant Chinese companies "based on facts" to resolve the issue "reasonably".

The controversy over the kits comes hard on the heels of the investment row which saw the government tweaking rules to ensure Chinese FDI into India came through the approval route at a time many Indian companies seemed vulnerable to hostile takeovers. China had then too strongly objected to the government move. However, as the government had said last week, India continues to procure more and more medical equipment from China.

The embassy said it attached great importance to the quality of its medical exports and the same kits had been "well recognised" in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The Indian Council of Medical Research carried out tests using the kits after some states reported that the apparatus was giving divergent results. ICMR concluded that the variation of results was too large and asked states to return the kits to be sent back to the Chinese firms. The Indian government said no money had been paid so far for the kits.

"We have also learned that there are strict requirements for the storage, transportation and use of Covid-19 antibody rapid test kits. Any operation which is not carried out by professionals in accordance with the product specifications will lead to testing accuracy variations. ICMR also made it clear that rapid antibody test kits should only be used for surveillance purposes instead of replacing RT-PCR test to diagnose and confirm the cases," the embassy spokesperson said, adding that China not only sincerely supported India in its fight against Covid-19, but also took concrete actions to help.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the spokesperson said, China and India had maintained close communication and cooperation on prevention and control. "We will continue to support India’s efforts in fighting Covid-19, strengthen medical and health cooperation, and jointly work with India to overcome the difficulties at an early date, so as to safeguard the safety and health of our peoples as well as global and regional public health security," the official said.

INVOKING GODS: A Hindu priest burns a replica of the coronavirus made from plastic as he performs a ‘Yagya’ for the eradication of the coronavirus disease in Kolkata on Tuesday