Owing to the long-standing, multifaceted, and strategic relations that coexist between Africa and China, the Chinese government has pledged its renewed commitment towards providing Africa and other developing countries the COVID-19 vaccine as a way of contributing its quota towards sustainable health for all nations.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, disclosed this on Monday at a daily news briefing in Beijing.
Reiterating China’s commitment to making its COVID-19 vaccines a global public good once developed and put into use, Mr. Wang said China will contribute to achieving the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.
He noted that China had already delivered some batch of COVID-19 vaccines to Pakistan on Monday, saying that the first shipment of China’s vaccine aid to other countries had commenced.
Besides Pakistan, China is also providing vaccine aid to 13 developing countries, including Equatorial Guinea, Zimbabwe, Brunei, Nepal, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Palestine, Belarus, and Sierra Leone.
He said that 38 more developing countries in need of the vaccines would receive China’s vaccine aid at a later stage.
“We are also participating actively in the WHO-led COVAX initiative to provide vaccines to developing countries,” the spokesperson added.
The Chinese spokesperson further disclosed that China has supported its companies in conducting joint research and production of vaccines with foreign partners and already exported Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines to countries including the UAE, Morocco, Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, and Chile.
He added that China expected the international community to make joint efforts in promoting the equitable distribution and use of vaccines and ensure the availability and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.
