A global community of health
Experts hail Xi’s $3b pandemic aid pledged to help developing nations in battle against COVID
President Xi Jinping has pledged more action on building a global community of health for all, as officials and experts hailed China’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as exemplary.
At the Global Health Summit on May 21, Xi unveiled China’s next steps in contributing to the worldwide battle against the pandemic, including a $3 billion international aid package for developing nations and proposals to bolster global equal access to vaccines.
Having already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world, China will provide still more, to the best of its ability, Xi announced.
He made these pledges while delivering a video speech at the summit attended by leaders of major economies and leading international organizations.
The summit was held as the need for COVID-19 vaccines is surging across the globe alongside growing concerns over the widening disparities regarding vaccine distribution and medical supplies.
The initiatives and measures unveiled by Xi are more than concrete, and demonstrated China’s firm resolve to work together with different nations to overcome the pandemic, Ma Zhaoxu, vice-minister of foreign affairs, said at a news briefing after the May 21 summit that was cohosted in Rome by Italy — the chair of the G20 this year — and the European Commission.
They will inject strong momentum into global vaccine cooperation, close the immunization gap among countries and make vaccines truly accessible and affordable public goods to people of different nations, Ma said.
Xi’s speech “is significant for advancing multilateralism, promoting global teamwork against the virus and leading the evolution of the global health governance system”, he added.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned at the May 21 summit that so far “more than 82 percent of the world’s vaccine doses have gone to affluent countries” and “just 0.3 percent have gone to lowincome countries”.
“The pandemic is still very much with us, thriving and mutating … As winter approaches in the Global South, I fear the worst is yet to come,” Guterres said.
China has provided vaccines in assistance to over 80 developing countries in urgent need and has exported the jabs to 43 countries.
Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter, Xi said.
Liu Yuanli, executive dean of Peking Union Medical College’s School of Health Policy and Management, said
Xi had delivered a speech filled with love, compassion and the sense of responsibility from a major country.
The president also provided constructive insight on the improvement of global health governance and the building of a global community of health for all, while issuing a serious warning about the rise of vaccine nationalism, he said.
“Contagions respect no borders. There is a tendency for shorter intervals between outbreaks of new epidemics,” he said.
The existence of a global community of health for all is undeniable, and closer coordination among the global community would have enabled the containment of the pandemic at an earlier date, he said.
Xi’s attendance, via video link from Beijing, at the summit came a year after he unveiled five measures to support global anti-pandemic cooperation at the 73rd World Health Assembly.
The 74th WHA, held virtually from May 24, is focused on ending the pandemic and preventing the next one by building a healthier, safer and fairer world.
Liu said China, while putting in place sound domestic containment measures, has made all-out efforts to help developing nations fight the virus and honor the commitments made by Xi a year ago.
So far, China has provided $2 billion in assistance for COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic.
The nation has sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, providing more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits to the world.
“To clinch an early victory against COVID-19 and restore economic growth remains the top priority for the international community. G20 members need to shoulder responsibilities in global cooperation against the virus,” Xi said.
Ivona Ladjevac, head of the Regional Center of One Belt One Road at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade, Serbia, said China’s contribution to the global response to the pandemic is “another great sign of what a great country it is”.
“Notwithstanding Chinese medical support and teams of experts sent worldwide, China constantly called upon every country of the world to join in this battle, which is the battle for preserving lives and humankind. This is the threat of a new kind and there is no country or man that is immune to it,” she said.
She noted that the vaccines provided by China to Serbia in January made it possible for a mass vaccine rollout, and secured the immunization of 500,000 people.
“China has provided unselfish, professional, moral and material assistance, more than envisaged by the strategic partnership agreement between our countries. Serbia will be forever grateful for that,” she said.
At the summit, Xi made a five-point proposal for coping with major public health emergencies.
He urged countries to put people and lives first; follow scientific policies and ensure a systemic response; promote solidarity and cooperation; uphold fairness and equality regarding immunization; and improve the global health governance system.
“We must champion the vision of building a global community of health for all, tide over this trying time through solidarity and cooperation, and firmly reject any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus,” Xi said.
A cooperation mechanism has been established for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 41 African hospitals, and construction on the headquarters of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, a project assisted by China, started at the end of last year.
Mqabuko Spencer Dube, the deputy head of mission at Zimbabwe’s embassy in Beijing, said China is not only the leading voice in calling for building a community of global health for all, but it is also walking the walk, as demonstrated by its provision of vaccine assistance to over 80 countries and exporting vaccines at fair and reasonable cost to more than 43 countries.
The latest commitment made by Xi to support the local manufacturing of vaccines is commendable, as it will improve supply and reduce costs, he said.
He noted that Zimbabwe was among the first recipients of Chinese assistance in the form of masks, personal protective equipment and testing kits after the COVID-19 outbreak.
“China also sent medical teams who helped us to establish appropriate anti-pandemic measures and helped to refurbish our medical institutions,” he said.
Xi urged countries to make vaccines more accessible and affordable to developing countries.
Countries which are major developers and producers of vaccines “need to take up their responsibility to provide more vaccines to developing countries in urgent need”, and they also need to support their businesses in joint research and authorized production with other countries having the relevant capacity, he said.
Multilateral financial institutions should provide inclusive financing support for the vaccine procurement of developing countries, Xi added.
Zimbabwe was among the first recipients of COVID-19 vaccines from China, with the first 200,000 doses received in February and the second batch arriving in March. In May, the Zimbabwe Defense Forces received 100,000 doses of vaccines from the People’s Liberation Army of China.
“China has indeed fulfilled President Xi’s commitment to make the vaccine a global public good,” Dube said.
He also hailed China’s proactive stance in relieving the debt burdens of African countries amid the fallout of the pandemic. He noted that the nation has canceled the debt of some African countries whose debts were maturing in 2020.
“This act of generosity will certainly augment global efforts in combating the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, while also strengthening the resilience of the respective countries and place their economies in a sustainable recovery mode,” Dube said.