Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. Photo: VCG

Chinese companies conduct vaccine research and development in strict accordance with scientific rules and regulatory requirements under the guidance of government, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Thursday.

Taking a responsible attitude toward life, the Chinese government has always given top priority to the safety and efficacy of vaccines, Wang said at the regular press conference on Thursday, in respond to questions on a recent clinical trial result of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech was proved to have an efficacy of 83.5 percent and prevent severe illness in 100 percent of cases in Turkey’s Phase III trials, media reported on Wednesday.

“...let alone the fact that this vaccine is being used widely in our country and no side effect was reported, we can say comfortably that it is safe,” Reuters quoted Serhat Unal, member of Turkish government’s advisory Science Council, as saying on Wednesday. 

Including Turkey, dozens of countries have approved China’s COVID-19 vaccine for  their domestic use, Wang said.

China will continue to act on President Xi Jinping's pledge to make the vaccine a global public good and work with other countries to strive for an early victory for all mankind over the virus, Wang noted.