after europe's medicines regulator says the jab is safe and effective. meanwhile, the us has announced it will release four million doses of the astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine to its neighbours, canada and mexico. we start with those first top level meetings between the us and china. it's a chance to re—set relations between the world's two biggest economies under a biden presidency. but there's no indication so far that things are improving. america's top diplomat antony blinken is meeting his opposite number against the snowy backdrop of alaska. and in their opening remarks, not too many warm words. (sots today we will have an opportunity to discuss key priorities, both domestic and global, — priorities, both domestic and global, so that china can better_ global, so that china can better understand our administration's intentions and approach _ administration's intentions and approach. we will also discuss our deep — approach. we will also discuss our deep concerns with actions by china — our deep concerns with actions by china including in hong kong, _ by china including in hong kong, taiwan, attacks on the united — kong, taiwan, attacks on the united states, economic coercion towards our allies. i said — coercion towards our allies. i said that _ coercion towards our allies. i said that the united states relationship will be competitive or should be, collaborative can be an adversarial work it must be. the — adversarial work it must be. the people of the two countries in the _ the people of the two countries in the world, they are hoping to see — in the world, they are hoping to see practical outcomes coming _ to see practical outcomes coming out of our dialogue and debate — coming out of our dialogue and debate in — coming out of our dialogue and debate in taiwan are an inalienable part of china's territory. china's five firmly opposed _ territory. china's five firmly opposed to us interference in china's— opposed to us interference in china's affairs. we have expressed our staunch opposition to such interference and we — opposition to such interference and we will take firm in response. our state department correspondent barbara plett—usher is in anchorage — where the meeting is taking place. she says both parties went into the meeting with quite it turned out to be an unusually undiplomatic exchange. mr blinken said what he had — exchange. mr blinken said what he had said he would save. he was _ he had said he would save. he was talking about china's policies _ was talking about china's policies towards taiwan and hong — policies towards taiwan and hong kong, cyber attacks on economic— hong kong, cyber attacks on economic coercion, saying these things— economic coercion, saying these things were not internal matters but issues that affect the system of rules that govern global— the system of rules that govern global stability and so they were — global stability and so they were issues that were concerned he would — were issues that were concerned he would raise them and the chinese _ he would raise them and the chinese shot back quite bluntly saying — chinese shot back quite bluntly saying we follow the un rules and you — saying we follow the un rules and you should stop trying to advance _ and you should stop trying to advance your own system of democracy because it is necessarily superior and anywhere you're dealing with your— anywhere you're dealing with your own _ anywhere you're dealing with your own internal problems and sociat— your own internal problems and social unrest or don't try to tell— social unrest or don't try to tell us— social unrest or don't try to tell us what to do. and then that— tell us what to do. and then that was— tell us what to do. and then that was the end of the formal comments on the two sides went back and — comments on the two sides went back and forth for a bit kind of having _ back and forth for a bit kind of having their counter says and — of having their counter says and defending each other in the press _ and defending each other in the press was — and defending each other in the press was about to be dismissed and someone would call them back— and someone would call them back and _ and someone would call them back and say no, i want to add this _ back and say no, i want to add this it — back and say no, i want to add this it was _ back and say no, i want to add this. it was an unusual extended public sparring event and afterwards the senior administration official accused the us— administration official accused the us of grandstanding in the opening — the us of grandstanding in the opening session but said we will continue to go ahead with business _ will continue to go ahead with business as planned in first session— business as planned in first session is now ended and they have _ session is now ended and they have two— session is now ended and they have two more to go. session is now ended and they have two more to go. different agendas. let's get more on the chinese perspective. i'm joined now by steve goldstein, an associate of the fairbank center for chinese studies, and the director of the taiwan studies workshop at harvard university. thank you for coming on the programme. thank you for coming on the programme-— thank you for coming on the rouramme. ., ~ i. ., ., programme. thank you for having me. your assessment _ programme. thank you for having me. your assessment of - programme. thank you for having me. your assessment of the - me. your assessment of the chances of anything coming out of these talks? i chances of anything coming out of these talks?— of these talks? i think in terms of _ of these talks? i think in terms of concrete - terms of concrete accomplishments we can expect a whole lot. but i think the talks are important in that they are the beginning of the process but i think we should not be surprised that the initial contacts have been better and it seems to be sharply divided.— better and it seems to be sharply divided. you say we should not _ sharply divided. you say we should not be _ sharply divided. you say we should not be surprised - sharply divided. you say we should not be surprised buti sharply divided. you say we i should not be surprised but it is quite shocking to listen to than the opening statements. while not a surprise? it is than the opening statements. while not a surprise?- while not a surprise? it is a sin of while not a surprise? it is a sign of american _ while not a surprise? it is a sign of american relations. | sign of american relations. they are at their lowest point since recognition in 1979. both sides have either real or imagined grievances vis—a—vis the other one had to expect that this first meeting there would be a considerable amount of venting. from what i've seen of venting. from what i've seen of twitter coming from alaska this seems to mean unusual but this seems to mean unusual but this is reflective of a very very difficult relationship and reflective of the fact that both delegations are not only speaking to each other but audiences at home. most people upon the china side specifically. interested you think they are in cooperation? i think you are interested in cooperation on certain issues. climate change perhaps, medical issues, perhaps issues of the environment. at this point there are other issues that are irreconcilable at the moment. and those are the ones that came up today. and those are the ones that came op today-— and those are the ones that came u- toda . ,, ., ., came up today. think about hong kona came up today. think about hong kong there _ came up today. think about hong kong there will _ came up today. think about hong kong there will be _ came up today. think about hong kong there will be no _ came up today. think about hong kong there will be no fudging - kong there will be no fudging at all will not. ihla kong there will be no fudging at all will not.— at all will not. no budgeting at all will not. no budgeting at all. it was _ at all will not. no budgeting at all. it was a _ at all will not. no budgeting at all. it was a predictable l at all. it was a predictable exchange. we raised the issue of hong kong which we rightfully should and they countered with a very standard reply that these are domestic problems and they won't countenance any american interference in them. that discussion is going to go nowhere. discussion is going to go nowhere-— discussion is going to go nowhere. ~ ,, , ., , ., nowhere. we will keep an eye on those discussions _ nowhere. we will keep an eye on those discussions anyway - nowhere. we will keep an eye on those discussions anyway even . those discussions anyway even if they go nowhere. great to have you on. thank you. thank ou have you on. thank you. thank you very _ have you on. thank you. thank you very much- _ several leading eu states say they'll restart the roll—out of the oxford—astrazeneca vaccine after europe's medicines regulator concluded the jab was "safe and effective". the european medicines agency has been conducting a review after 13 member states suspended use of the astrazeneca vaccine, over fears of a possible link with blood clots. now the ema is saying that while it cannot definitively rule out a connection, these cases are very rare and the benefits of using the astrazeneca vaccine outweigh the risks. here's our medical editor fergus walsh. every injection, every vaccine given is another person protected. half a million people a day here are getting immunised at present. many eu countries suspended using the oxford astrazeneca jab pending the outcome of today's safety review. in hull, there was no sign of vaccine hesitancy. i was waiting a long time. i'm in my 60s, and i've only just really got mine, so i was just happy it's finally done. ijust took on board this is my appointment, this is what needs doing, this is keeping everyone safe so let's go ahead and get it done. the uk medicines regulator said after a rigorous review, there was no evidence that blood clots were caused by the oxford astrazeneca vaccine. it looked in particular at five cases of rare clots in the brain among 11 million people immunised by the nhs. all were men under 60, one of whom died. it said, given the link was unproven, the benefits of the vaccine far outweighed potential side effects. for those in their 40s, the risk of dying after covid infection is one in a thousand. as a precautionary measure, it's advising anyone with a headache that lasts more than four days after vaccination to seek medical attention. there is no difference that blood clots in veins are occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination, for either vaccine. the public can have every confidence in the thoroughness of our review. and in amsterdam, the european medicines agency has come to the same conclusion about the astrazeneca jab. this is a safe and effective vaccine. its benefits in protecting people from covid—19, with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation, outweigh the possible risks. the committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events, or blood clots. the prime minister, who's 56, will get his first dose of the astrazeneca vaccine tomorrow, and said all adults would be offered a jab by the end ofjuly. our progress along the road - to freedom continues unchecked. we remain on track to reclaim the things we love, _ to see our families and friends again, to return to our- local pubs, our gyms and sports facilities, | and, of course, our shops. all, of course, as long - as the data continue to go in the right direction, - and we meet our four tests. those in their 40s seem likely to have to wait until may to get their first vaccine, because older people will be getting their second shot, and there won't be enough extra doses to go around, due to supply issues caused by a delay in a delivery of vaccine from india and a batch here that needed retesting. half of all adults in the uk have now had a first dose of vaccine. the head of the nhs in england, sir simon stevens, got the astrazeneca jab at westminster abbey. safe and effective vaccines will answer all our prayers to be delivered from this pandemic. fergus walsh, bbc news. france will resume the rollout of the astra zeneca vaccine from tomorrow. the country is facing a third wave of coronavirus, with intensive care beds in the region of paris almost completely full. the french prime minister, jean castex, has announced a regional lockdown on the capital and in other regions with high infection rates. (sot translation: in these 16 - regions, new massive measures to restrain the epidemic will be in place on friday night at midnight, for four weeks. it's a third path that we're taking, a path which should allow us to restrain the virus without locking up. these measures will be different from lockdowns we had in place last march and november. because, since the beginning of the epidemic, exactly one year ago, the crisis has gone on, but we have learned. stay with us on bbc news, still to come. as security forces in myanmar resort to increasingly violent tactics to suppress daily demonstrations, we speak to the family of a 17—year—old medical student who died in a protest. today, we have closed the book on apartheid, and that chapter. more than 3,000 subway passengers were affected. nausea, bleeding, headaches and a dimming of vision. all of this caused by an apparently organised attack. the trophy itself was - on a pedestal in the middle of the cabinet here. now, this was an international trophy, and we understand - now that the search for it has i become an international search. above all, this was a triumph for the christian democrats of the west, offering reunification as quickly as possible, and that's what the voters wanted. this is bbc news, the latest headlines . the united states and china exchange sharp words in the first high—level direct talks since president biden took office. two canadians charged with spying in china are to go on trial in the next few days. the hearings for michael spavor and michael kovrig are due to place on friday and monday. the men were arrested more than two years ago, shortly after canadian police detained mung wunjoe, a senior executive at the chinese tech giant huawei, who's wanted on charges of fraud in the united states. the two men have no access to outside lawyers. we're joined by stephanie carvin who is associate they are saying that the chinese officials there are citing national security as a reason for the lack of access to those trials there are in china. to those trials there are in china. we're joined by stephanie carvin who is associate professor in international affairs at carlton university in ottawa. thank you for coming on the programme. let's start with those developments in the last few minutes. it seemed unlikely that the canadian embassy officials will have access to the trials when they do take place. i will assume you are not too surprised by that. we are having a bit of a problem with the sound. ijust are having a bit of a problem with the sound. i just want to check your end. with the sound. i 'ust want to check your end._ check your end. sorry. some kind of interference - check your end. sorry. some kind of interference there . kind of interference there suspiciously perhaps. if there is some good news there the canadian officials worked alone and media reports on the ground are suggesting that there were at least eight countries that also tried to get access to this trial on the ground. what i would interpret to be a sign of solidarity with canada and international concern over this trial. that isn't good news but i'm not surprised that they were denied access, unfortunately. something constantly _ unfortunately. something constantly reported - unfortunately. something constantly reported in - unfortunately. something | constantly reported in this case is the alleged conditions being held then.— being held then. right. this has been — being held then. right. this has been the _ being held then. right. this has been the concern - being held then. right. this has been the concern of - has been the concern of canadians, the conditions they have been held then have been described as lights on 2a hours a day, there were reports 18 months ago that one man's glasses had been taken away to stop them from reading. and basically the conditions are what we were considering the worst amount to torture. the contrast that with what is happening in vancouver. she is in one of two large mansions here and has been seen going to restaurants. it is the opposite of what they canadians themselves are experiencing and i think this continual denial of any kind of access to them. that would be expected under international law is even more worrying. international law is even more wor inc. , . international law is even more wor inc. , worrying. they are being accused _ worrying. they are being accused of _ worrying. they are being accused of spying. - worrying. they are being accused of spying. how i worrying. they are being - accused of spying. how credible do those charges are? the issue here is chinese _ do those charges are? the issue here is chinese law _ do those charges are? the issue here is chinese law which - do those charges are? the issue here is chinese law which is - here is chinese law which is incredibly vague and not at all precise so they are being held on charges they violated the national security law and frankly that in the normal everyday kind of research activities that someone involved in business would do. michael was a member of the international crisis group and involved in research activities. in china under is very broad law could interpret that to the espionage activities and information gathering that goes against its interests so it is a convenient law for china to use and they can interpret it in a very wide way unfortunately.— way unfortunately. they are cau . ht way unfortunately. they are caught op — way unfortunately. they are caught up in _ way unfortunately. they are caught up in this _ way unfortunately. they are caught up in this us - way unfortunately. they are caught up in this us foreign| caught up in this us foreign policy and it is something that we have this meeting going on in alaska between china and the us. there are lots of observers that fate is tied to this us foreign policy outcome. the timin: foreign policy outcome. the timing is — foreign policy outcome. the timing is not _ foreign policy outcome. tie: timing is not coincidental. there is a clear signal. biden, fortunately for canada, has indicated that relations with china are contingent on the way china are contingent on the way china treats american allies and we have seen say that particularly with regards australia. one of the individuals he was involved in that terse exchange of words, i believe, has met with his canadian counterpart this week and are certainly bringing up these cases as well. you have to suspect china seen this as an opportunity to say, look, going to treat american allies how we want and how we see fit. great to talk to you. thank you. thank you. us presidentjoe biden has announced that his target of 100 million vaccine doses administered in his first 100 days will be hit on friday, over a month ahead of schedule. the white house also said the us will start sending some of its unused vaccine stockpile abroad. 1.5 million viles are due to be shipped to canada and 2.5 million will be sent across the southern border to mexico. mr biden says the majority of its most vulnerable citizens in the us have received at least one dose. eight weeks ago, only 8% of seniors — those most vulnerable to covid—19 — had received a vaccination. t