China joins COVAX Facility
Beijing to offer vaccines to developing nations first
China on Thursday signed an agreement with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to officially join COVAX, a global platform that supports the research and development (R&D) as well as manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine candidates, China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.
The move plays a positive role in demonstrating the importance of international cooperation to the world amid negative effects the US casts on the global battle against the pandemic by withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and international public health actions, Chinese experts said.
The agreement is an important step taken by China to uphold the concept of a shared community of health for all and to honor its commitment to turn potential COVID-19 vaccines into a global public good, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement released on the ministry’s website.
Hua said that China continues to focus on ensuring that developing countries have equal access to appropriate, safe and effective vaccines.
China has the same goal as the COVAX facility; that is, promoting international cooperation in COVID-19 vaccine R&D and favoring developing countries in vaccine supply, said Su Xiaohui, deputy director of the Department for International and Strategic Studies, China Institute of International Studies.
Following the US’ withdrawal from the WHO and refusal to join the facility, China’s latest move would play a positive role in encouraging more countries to join in international cooperation, Su noted.
COVAX is one of three pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was launched in April by several global organizations including the WHO, Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
China will also strengthen vaccine cooperation with relevant countries through the COVAX network. To that end, we have solemnly pledged to make vaccines developed and deployed by China a global public good, which will be provided to developing countries as a priority, Hua stressed.
Following the US’ withdrawal from the WHO and refusal to join the facility, China’s latest move would play a positive role in encouraging more countries to join in international cooperation
Su Xiaohui deputy director of the Department for International and Strategic Studies, China Institute of International Studies.