Editor's note: Iram Khan is a Pakistan-based commentator on international affairs. The article reflects the author's views, and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Delivering on the promise of making the COVID-19 vaccine a global public good, China has pledged 10 million doses to the vaccine-sharing initiative COVAX, as stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin yesterday.

Joining COVAX last October, China demonstrated that it was looking at eradicating COVID-19 from the entire planet rather than only from the Chinese mainland where effective measures had already subsided the first wave of the pandemic.

Like most technologically advanced countries, China has the expertise to come forward with solutions for global problems. When COVID-19 took hold early last year, Chinese scientists immediately got to work and shared the gene sequence of the novel coronavirus in a matter of days.

They met the expectations of their countrymen and those of the world, despite a barrage of conspiracy theories and disinformation targeted at their country. Today, China has several vaccines that are effective against the disease and have received approvals from various governments.

Support for COVAX is critical at this time. Although the backing it has so far received allowed the development of vaccines in record time, it is now at the time of distribution, however, that making it accessible matters. Wang stated in this regard that China is hoping for concrete actions by the international community in support of COVAX as rolling out to low- and middle-income countries starts this month.

COVAX is preparing to deliver two billion doses this year around the world. This unprecedented feat has been made possible only through international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19.

During this grave public health emergency, advanced countries did not act for themselves only. They soon realized, after the initial wave, that under a pandemic situation everyone is in it together. When China became the first major country to contain the spread, it immediately resumed industrial activity for the benefit of the world since social distancing had shut down factories almost everywhere else.

Similarly, when the turn for vaccine development came, Chinese pharmaceutical companies joined hands with those from other countries to share knowledge and to make their product effective. Political differences with the governments of those companies did not falter the resolve of any of the participants in solving the problem faced by the entire world.

Globalization cannot be reversed. And as long as its value will be believed, it will also be producing challenges of global scale. Instead of protectionism and isolationism, these challenges will have to be addressed through international cooperation and upholding and improving the multilateral global governance system.

Supporting multilateral bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO) is also pertinent in today's era since diseases, like any other phenomenon, do not remain localized. Throughout the pandemic, China maintained close coordination with the WHO. Starting from a timely intimation of the outbreak to supporting the organization in developing and distributing vaccines, China is facilitating the WHO in eradicating COVID-19 at the earliest.

In fact, a team of WHO experts is presently in China as part of its global effort to study the origins of the disease. Although the virus was prevalent in countries like Spain, Italy, the U.S. and France before the outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan, China has offered extensive access to the WHO team in carrying out its research.

That is because China is a vocal proponent of increasing the capacity of the WHO to prevent future outbreaks. The 10 million doses of vaccines to COVAX by China are also being provided at the request of the organization. Wang expressed the hope during his press conference that the international community will play an active role and take actions to support the WHO's work.

The umbrella of the WHO is open for every capable country to extend its expertise and resources to parts of the world that are less fortunate. Developing countries, in particular, need to be helped at this difficult time. With their limited capacities and their problems, which are sometimes beyond their control, they are looking up to the developed world in defeating the pandemic.

Scientists are still working to increase the duration of vaccine-induced immunity. That means, if COVID-19 is not eradicated from the entire planet, it will continue to remain as a threat. Rich countries cannot consider themselves safe until they also proactively help the developing countries. The chance of the disease's resurgence can never be ruled out if the vaccines do not become affordable and accessible.

Under the vision of a community of common health for mankind, China has already started donation of vaccines. The first batch provided to a foreign country arrived in Pakistan on February 1 and was received with high appreciation.

As China's vaccine consignments arrive in other countries, they deliver on Chinese President Xi Jinping's promise to make the vaccine a global public good. China is a developing nation and it maintains its attachment with and keeps its commitments to the developing world. Making economic and scientific leaps, it is not forgetting those who are also trying to overcome challenges of their own.

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