China stressed on Thursday that its global cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines aims at protecting more people's life, safety, and health, clarified that the vaccines it provided are with no political conditions attached.
Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the fourth session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.
Citing Chinese President Xi Jinping's remarks at the 73rd World Health Assembly last May, Zhang said China is committed to making vaccines for CVOD-19 a global public good and is determined to contribute to the affordability and accessibility of the vaccines in developing countries.
According to Zhang, so far, China has 17 vaccines that are going through a clinical trial, four have gained conditional approval for entering the market, and four have gained authorization for emergency use or enter the market in several countries.
Meanwhile, China is also providing or plans to provide free vaccine assistance to over 60 countries, said Zhang, noting that China has declared to provide 10 million COVID-19 doses to COVAX to meet the urgent needs of developing countries.
China encourages and supports Chinese vaccine companies to export vaccines to those who have the intention to purchase, Zhang stated, adding that so far, there are over 40 countries that have purchased or are in discussion with China regarding the purchase of vaccines.
The spokesperson assured strict monitoring of quality is imposed by the National Medical Product Administration. All vaccines companies in China are following a science-based approach in their research and development process.
Pointing out that in the face of the pandemic, nothing matters than people's life safety and health, Zhang reiterated China's cooperation on COVID-19 purely aims to protect more people's life, safety, and health, which has no geopolitical purpose and no additional political conditions.
He called on the international community to work jointly to promote fair distribution as well as the affordability and accessibility of COVID-19 vaccines with concrete actions.