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US slander that China is stealing COVID-19 vaccine research is baseless, said China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday, noting there is no evidence.

Zhao said at a regular media briefing that China has made great progress in developing a COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccine development is not a political war between China and the US, but a war between mankind and the virus.

US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said on Sunday that China is trying to hack coronavirus vaccine technology from the US, but the US will “develop a vaccine first.”

“Whichever country completes and puts into use the vaccine first contributes to the fight against the epidemic for all human beings,” Zhao said. “We are expecting more good news from the vaccine research.”

China supports transparency and the sharing of prevention and control experiences with the coronavirus pandemic. The country also supports international cooperation in developing a coronavirus vaccine and therapies, Zhao said.

“China expects to continue cooperating with international society to promote the coronavirus vaccine development,” Zhao said.