Beijing provides more than 480 million vaccine doses globally

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

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

China has provided vaccines to nearly 100 countries, and announced that it has pledged to provide the first batch of 10 million vaccines to the World Health Organization's COVAX program. The country also pledges to continually contribute to the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.

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 companies to work with foreign parties in conducting phase three clinical trials.

Chinese vaccines have gained a good reputation worldwide, Wang said, adding that the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines have been widely recognized. More than 30 foreign leaders have been inoculated with Chinese vaccines.

"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.

On Saturday, a commercial shipment of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Bangladesh, and Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Health Minister Zahid Maleque were among those present at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka to receive the vaccines. More Sinopharm vaccines aboard a separate flight arrived later that day.

Indonesia's Health Ministry on Thursday launched the mass COVID-19 vaccinations for teenagers aged 12 to 17 as its capital held its first mass inoculation drive for adolescents.

At least 100 students had their first doses in a vaccination event at a public high school in central Jakarta. The city's administration aims to vaccinate as many as 1.3 million children in schools and healthcare facilities.

Those between the ages of 12 to 17 are eligible to get Sinovac vaccine jabs after the country's National Agency of Drug and Food Control issued the emergency use authorization late last month.

Xinhua