China has provided over 480 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to world

BEIJING - China has provided more than 480 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Friday.

Wang Wenbin said China is a firm believer in making COVID-19 vaccines a public good, and has provided the most vaccines to the world.

He said China so far has provided vaccines to nearly 100 countries, and announced that it has pledged to provide the first batch of 10 million doses of vaccines to COVAX.

Chinese vaccines are the first batch of vaccines obtained by many developing countries. China has carried out joint research and development and cooperative production with many developing countries, and supported relevant companies to cooperate with foreign parties in conducting the phase III clinical trials, Wang said.

He said the Chinese vaccines have gained a good reputation in the international community, adding that the safety and effectiveness of Chinese vaccines have been widely recognized.

"At present, more than 100 countries have approved the use of Chinese vaccines. The WHO has included China's Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines in the emergency use list," Wang said, adding that more than 30 foreign leaders took the lead in taking Chinese vaccines.

Pledging that China will continue to contribute to the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries, the spokesperson urged all countries with the capability to act quickly, honor their commitments, and contribute to the equitable distribution and application of vaccines across the world.