The embassy of the United States in the United Arab Emirates declined free COVID-19 testing kits for its staff, because of concerns that the private labs offering the kits had ties to China, according to a new report.
The testing kits were offered by a
testing facility that was set up in March in Abu Dhabi, which is the
capital of the oil-rich UAE —a close American ally in the Middle East.
The facility was built in record time,
through a collaboration between two private companies. The main partner
in the scheme is Group42, a privately owned artificial intelligence
firm, which is based in the UAE and is believed to be partly owned by
members of the kingdom’s royal family. Its partner in the venture is BGI
Group, a Chinese company —formerly known as the Beijing Genomics Group—
that specializes in genomics research. Since its establishment, the
facility has reportedly delivered over 2 million COVID-19 testing kits
—complete with reagents— for the population of the UAE, which numbers
just over 9 million. Given these numbers, local officials have hailed
the initiative as a success and credit it
with having produced “one of the largest per capita testing rates in
the world”. The oil-rich kingdom has so far reported about 36,000
confirmed coronavirus cases, which have resulted in 270 deaths —about
2.5 deaths per 100,000 UAE residents.
But, according to The Financial Times,
the United States embassy in Abu Dhabi turned down an offer for free
COVID-19 testing kits for its employees by Group42. The paper quoted
an anonymous United States government official, who said that the offer
was “politely declined” last month by the embassy leadership. American
State Department officials were allegedly concerned that the DNA
information of tested embassy employees could be compromised and “find
its way to Beijing”, said the source. “Concerns were raised about
patient privacy and the way that the tests could be used”, added the
official, and described the involvement of BGI in the venture as “a red
flag” for Washington.
BGI Group told the paper that it had no
links to the government of China and no access to the data of patients,
which were stored in Group42 facilities in the Emirates. The UAE-based
company said that it followed “strict information security and data
privacy protocols are in place” to protect sensitive information. The
firm refused to divulge information about its owners, citing strict laws
that are in place in the kingdom.
But the incident illustrates the growing
suspicion in relations between the US and China. This poses difficult
dilemmas for third countries, like the UAE. The oil-rich state is among
several monarchies in the Gulf that have deepened their relations with
China in recent years, in both the political and economic domains. Since
2000, the value of bilateral trade between Abu Dhabi and Beijing has
grown from $2 billion to nearly $70 billion per year. At the same time,
the UAE is one of the largest purchasers of US military technology in
the world. The oil-rich monarchy spends on average $3 billion annually
to acquire American weapons. Recently, however, Abu Dhabi has shown an
increasing interest in Chinese-made weapons. Its armed forces and police
departments now use several Chinese weapons and surveillance systems.
At the same time, Huawei, a Chinese-owned telecommunications hardware
producer, is scheduled to build the nation’s 5G cellular network.
Washington has expressed serious concerns about that decision.
Speaking to The Financial Times,
the anonymous US government official said that these steps by the UAE
leadership, which are bringing it closer to China, “risk rupturing the
long-term strategic relationship [the country has] with the US”.
fecha |
Título |
23/11/2023| |
|
14/11/2023| |
|
06/11/2023| |
|
30/10/2023| |
|
25/10/2023| |
|
23/10/2023| |
|
09/10/2023| |
|
02/10/2023| |
|
19/09/2023| |
|
12/09/2023| |
|
01/09/2023| |
|
28/08/2023| |
|
23/08/2023| |
|
21/08/2023| |
|
16/08/2023| |
|
14/08/2023| |
|
10/08/2023| |
|
07/08/2023| |
|
31/07/2023| |
|
12/07/2023| |
|
11/07/2023| |
|
03/07/2023| |
|
28/06/2023| |
|
25/06/2023| |
|
21/06/2023| |
|
19/06/2023| |
|
12/06/2023| |
|
08/06/2023| |
|
06/06/2023| |
|
05/06/2023| |
|
02/06/2023| |
|
29/05/2023| |
|
24/05/2023| |
|
18/05/2023| |
|
16/05/2023| |
|
13/05/2023| |
|
11/05/2023| |
|
08/05/2023| |
|
05/05/2023| |
|
04/05/2023| |
|
01/05/2023| |
|
18/04/2023| |
|
17/04/2023| |
|
10/04/2023| |
|
03/04/2023| |
|
27/03/2023| |
|
20/03/2023| |
|
17/03/2023| |
|
15/03/2023| |
|
13/03/2023| |
|
08/03/2023| |
|
07/03/2023| |
|
27/02/2023| |
|
21/02/2023| |
|
20/02/2023| |
|
14/02/2023| |
|
13/02/2023| |
|
06/02/2023| |
|
04/02/2023| |
|
01/02/2023| |
|
30/01/2023| |
|
24/01/2023| |
|
18/01/2023| |
|
16/01/2023| |
|
11/01/2023| |
|
10/01/2023| |
|
08/01/2023| |
|
05/01/2023| |
|
03/01/2023| |
|
02/01/2023| |
|
13/12/2022| |
|
05/12/2022| |
|
28/11/2022| |
|
15/11/2022| |
|
08/11/2022| |
|
31/10/2022| |
|
21/10/2022| |
|
17/10/2022| |
|
10/10/2022| |
|
04/10/2022| |
|
26/09/2022| |
|
19/09/2022| |
|
12/09/2022| |
|
05/09/2022| |
|
26/08/2022| |
|
21/08/2022| |
|
08/08/2022| |
|
05/08/2022| |
|
03/08/2022| |
|
28/07/2022| |
|
25/07/2022| |
|
21/07/2022| |
|
14/07/2022| |
|
12/07/2022| |
|
09/07/2022| |
|
22/06/2022| |
|
13/06/2022| |
|
25/05/2022| |
|
16/05/2022| |
|
12/05/2022| |
|
06/05/2022| |
|
05/05/2022| |
|
02/05/2022| |
|
25/04/2022| |
|
23/04/2022| |
|
21/04/2022| |
|
14/04/2022| |
|
13/04/2022| |
|
08/04/2022| |
|
31/03/2022| |
|
28/03/2022| |
|
25/03/2022| |
|
24/03/2022| |
|
21/03/2022| |
|
15/03/2022| |
|
14/03/2022| |
|
12/03/2022| |
|
04/03/2022| |
|
01/03/2022| |
|
27/02/2022| |
|
25/02/2022| |
|
24/02/2022| |
|
23/02/2022| |
|
21/02/2022| |
|
14/02/2022| |
|
10/02/2022| |
|
08/02/2022| |
|
07/02/2022| |
|
04/02/2022| |
|
01/02/2022| |
|
31/01/2022| |
|
28/01/2022| |
|
26/01/2022| |
|
25/01/2022| |
|
24/01/2022| |
|
23/01/2022| |
|
21/01/2022| |
|
14/01/2022| |
|
12/01/2022| |
|
11/01/2022| |
|
10/01/2022| |
|
07/01/2022| |
|
05/01/2022| |
|
03/01/2022| |
|
30/12/2021| |
|
23/12/2021| |
|
22/12/2021| |
|
21/12/2021| |
|
20/12/2021| |
|
16/12/2021| |
|
14/12/2021| |
|
11/12/2021| |
|
09/12/2021| |
|
04/12/2021| |
|
02/12/2021| |
|
01/12/2021| |
|
29/11/2021| |
|
21/11/2021| |
|
19/11/2021| |
|
16/11/2021| |
|
15/11/2021| |
|
11/11/2021| |
|
10/11/2021| |
|
08/11/2021| |
|
06/11/2021| |
|
05/11/2021| |
|
01/11/2021| |
|
30/10/2021| |
|
28/10/2021| |
|
27/10/2021| |
|
26/10/2021| |
|
20/07/2021| |
|
19/07/2021| |
|
18/07/2021| |
|
15/07/2021| |
|
13/07/2021| |
|
10/07/2021| |
|
07/07/2021| |
|
05/07/2021| |
|
04/07/2021| |
|
01/07/2021| |
|
29/06/2021| |
|
28/06/2021| |
|
24/06/2021| |
|
23/06/2021| |
|
22/06/2021| |
|
15/06/2021| |
|
13/06/2021| |
|
12/06/2021| |
|
08/06/2021| |
|
07/06/2021| |
|
04/06/2021| |
|
03/06/2021| |
|
01/06/2021| |
|
28/05/2021| |
|
27/05/2021| |
|
26/03/2021| |
|
25/03/2021| |
|
23/03/2021| |
|
21/03/2021| |
|
15/03/2021| |
|
10/03/2021| |
|
09/03/2021| |
|
10/12/2020| |
|
09/12/2020| |
|
07/12/2020| |
|
03/12/2020| |
|
02/12/2020| |
|
30/11/2020| |
|
25/11/2020| |
|
23/11/2020| |
|
20/11/2020| |
|
19/11/2020| |
|
29/10/2020| |
|
27/10/2020| |
|
22/10/2020| |
|
21/10/2020| |
|
17/10/2020| |
|
14/10/2020| |
|
12/10/2020| |
|
09/10/2020| |
|
07/10/2020| |
|
03/10/2020| |
|
25/09/2020| |
|
23/09/2020| |
|
21/09/2020| |
|
19/09/2020| |
|
18/09/2020| |
|
15/09/2020| |
|
14/09/2020| |
|
07/09/2020| |
|
05/09/2020| |
|
01/09/2020| |
|
30/08/2020| |
|
27/08/2020| |
|
27/08/2020| |
|
24/08/2020| |
|
20/08/2020| |
|
19/08/2020| |
|
14/08/2020| |
|
13/08/2020| |
|
11/08/2020| |
|
10/08/2020| |
|
09/08/2020| |
|
08/08/2020| |
|
06/08/2020| |
|
05/08/2020| |
|
04/08/2020| |
|
02/08/2020| |
|
30/07/2020| |
|
28/07/2020| |
|
22/07/2020| |
|
21/07/2020| |
|
20/07/2020| |
|
18/07/2020| |
|
17/07/2020| |
|
14/07/2020| |
|
12/07/2020| |
|
11/07/2020| |
|
09/07/2020| |
|
08/07/2020| |
|
05/07/2020| |
|
01/07/2020| |
|
29/06/2020| |
|
25/06/2020| |
|
23/06/2020| |
|
21/06/2020| |
|
19/06/2020| |
|
17/06/2020| |
|
16/06/2020| |
|
09/06/2020| |
|
03/06/2020| |
|
31/05/2020| |
|
30/05/2020| |
|
29/05/2020| |
|
27/05/2020| |
|
22/05/2020| |
|
19/05/2020| |
|
17/05/2020| |
|
12/05/2020| |
|
11/05/2020| |
|
09/05/2020| |
|
07/05/2020| |
|
04/05/2020| |
|
02/05/2020| |
|
28/04/2020| |
|
08/03/2020| |
|
06/03/2020| |
|
04/03/2020| |
|
21/02/2020| |
|
19/02/2020| |
|
14/02/2020| |
|
13/02/2020| |
|
07/02/2020| |
|
06/02/2020| |
|
06/02/2020| |
|
23/01/2020| |
|
18/01/2020| |
|
16/01/2020| |
|
07/01/2020| |
|
05/01/2020| |
|
03/01/2020| |
|
23/12/2019| |
|
20/12/2019| |
|
16/12/2019| |
|
15/12/2019| |
|
14/12/2019| |
|
12/12/2019| |
|
11/12/2019| |
|
10/12/2019| |
|
08/12/2019| |
|
25/11/2019| |
|
23/11/2019| |
|
22/11/2019| |
|
18/11/2019| |
|
15/11/2019| |
|
12/11/2019| |
|
11/11/2019| |
|
10/11/2019| |
|
09/11/2019| |
|
08/11/2019| |
|
07/11/2019| |
|
06/11/2019| |
|
28/10/2019| |
|
24/10/2019| |
|
23/10/2019| |
|
21/10/2019| |
|
20/10/2019| |
|
19/10/2019| |
|
18/10/2019| |
|
17/10/2019| |
|
16/10/2019| |
|
15/10/2019| |
|
15/10/2019| |
|
13/10/2019| |
|
03/10/2019| |
|
01/10/2019| |
|
30/09/2019| |
|
29/09/2019| |
|
18/09/2019| |
|
16/09/2019| |
|
15/09/2019| |
|
14/09/2019| |
|
11/09/2019| |
|
10/09/2019| |
|
07/09/2019| |
|
05/09/2019| |
|
01/09/2019| |
|
31/08/2019| |
|
30/08/2019| |
|
29/08/2019| |
|
24/08/2019| |
|
23/08/2019| |
|
22/08/2019| |
|
20/08/2019| |
|
19/08/2019| |
|
18/08/2019| |
|
17/08/2019| |
|
13/08/2019| |
|
11/08/2019| |
|
10/08/2019| |
|
09/08/2019| |
|
02/08/2019| |
|
31/07/2019| |
|
30/07/2019| |
|
29/07/2019| |
|
19/07/2019| |
|
18/07/2019| |
|
17/07/2019| |
|
16/07/2019| |
|
12/07/2019| |
|
05/07/2019| |
|
04/07/2019| |
|
01/07/2019| |
|
29/06/2019| |
|
26/06/2019| |
|
28/12/2018| |
|
28/12/2018| |
|
24/12/2018| |
|
21/12/2018| |
|
18/12/2018| |
|
15/12/2018| |
|
14/12/2018| |
|
11/12/2018| |
|
09/12/2018| |
|
07/12/2018| |
|
06/12/2018| |
|
03/12/2018| |
|
02/12/2018| |
|
30/11/2018| |
|
29/11/2018| |
|
27/11/2018| |
|
25/11/2018| |
|
24/11/2018| |
|
08/11/2018| |
|
07/11/2018| |
|
04/11/2018| |
|
03/11/2018| |
|
31/10/2018| |
|
19/10/2018| |
|
16/10/2018| |
|
12/10/2018| |
|
11/10/2018| |
|
08/10/2018| |
|
06/10/2018| |
|
05/10/2018| |
|
25/09/2018| |
|
23/09/2018| |
|
22/09/2018| |
|
20/09/2018| |
|
18/09/2018| |
|
13/09/2018| |
|
11/09/2018| |
|
08/09/2018| |
|
07/09/2018| |
|
05/09/2018| |
|
04/09/2018| |
|
02/09/2018| |
|
01/09/2018| |
|
29/08/2018| |
|
24/08/2018| |
|
23/08/2018| |
|
18/08/2018| |
|
16/08/2018| |
|
14/08/2018| |
|
13/08/2018| |
|
11/08/2018| |
|
05/08/2018| |
|
03/08/2018| |
|
02/08/2018| |
|
30/07/2018| |
|
26/07/2018| |
|
24/07/2018| |
|
19/07/2018| |
|
16/07/2018| |
|
16/07/2018| |
|
16/07/2018| |
|
12/07/2018| |
|
11/07/2018| |
|
02/07/2018| |
|
29/06/2018| |
|
26/06/2018| |
|
23/06/2018| |
|
19/06/2018| |
|
13/06/2018| |
|
12/06/2018| |
|
02/06/2018| |
|
31/05/2018| |
|
25/05/2018| |
|
21/05/2018| |
|
19/05/2018| |
|
18/05/2018| |
|
25/03/2018| |
|
24/03/2018| |
|
14/03/2018| |
|
10/03/2018| |
|
09/03/2018| |
|