File photo: CFP
China on Monday restated its determination to work with the international community to promote vaccine equity in developing countries and contribute to mankind's victory over the epidemic.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks at a press briefing in reference to the World Health Organization (WHO)'s validation of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.
“As WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine has received WHO validation for safety, efficacy and quality,” Hua said.
The Sinopharm vaccine is the first COVID-19 vaccine developed by a non-Western country to receive WHO backing and also the first Chinese infectious disease vaccine authorized by WHO for emergency use.
China announced in February the plan to provide 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the global vaccine-sharing initiative COVAX, “mainly for the urgent demand of developing countries,” Hua said.
“China will keep its promise and is keeping close communication with WHO on this plan,” she said.
(Compiled by Zhu Yingqi and Yang Jiaqi)
