China will strive to provide 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world and offer $100 million to the COVAX project throughout this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday in a written message to the first meeting of the International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation.

Xi recalled that at the Global Health Summit in May, he announced China's five initiatives to support global solidarity in the fight against the pandemic, including the initiative to set up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world.

As the world has seen repeated resurgence and frequent mutations of the coronavirus, Xi voiced the hope that the forum can take a new step forward for fair access to vaccines around the world, inject new momentum for solidarity and cooperation among developing countries, and make a new contribution to the early victory in humanity's fight against the pandemic.

China always stands for the vision of building a community of common health for mankind, Xi said, adding that China has provided COVID-19 vaccines to the world, especially to other developing countries, and conducted joint vaccine production.

"That is what it means to make vaccines a global public good," he stressed.

The Chinese president said the country will continue to do all it can to help other developing countries cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are ready to work with the international community to promote international cooperation on vaccines and build a community with a shared future for mankind," said Xi.