China to provide 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to COVAX

BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to provide 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to COVAX to meet the urgent needs of developing countries, at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO), a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"This is another important measure taken by China to promote the equitable distribution of vaccines, advance international cooperation in fighting the pandemic, and uphold the concept of a global community of health for all," spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily press briefing.

Noting that the WHO has begun to review the emergency use authorization of China's vaccine, Wang pledged the continued cooperation of Chinese enterprises and expressed hope that the WHO would complete this work as soon as possible.

A handover ceremony of a batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccine is held at Noor Khan Air Base near Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Tian)

"We hope that capable countries in the international community can play an active role and take concrete actions to support COVAX as well as the WHO's work, so as to help developing countries receive vaccines in time and contribute to the global defeat of the pandemic at an early date," he said.

China has officially joined COVAX and maintained close communication with the WHO, Wang said, vowing to make joint efforts to turn COVID-19 vaccines into global public goods and promote the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.

China signed an agreement with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, officially joining COVAX on Oct. 8, 2020. ■