Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang spoke on Wednesday at a virtual COVID-19 ministerial meeting held by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken . Photo: website of the embassy

Solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to defeat COVID-19, Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang spoke on Wednesday at a virtual COVID-19 ministerial meeting held by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging major countries to take lead in providing vaccines to low- and middle-income countries and help them build up vaccine production.

Qin, who delivered the remarks as representative of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, pointed out that as Chinese President Xi Jinping has reiterated on many occasions, vaccines should become a global public goods.

Xi proposed a Global Vaccine Cooperation Action Initiative in late October while addressing the 16th Group of 20 Leaders' Summit, and called for fair global distribution of vaccines, equal treatment of different vaccines and mutual recognition of vaccines in accordance with the World Health Organization's Emergency Use Listing.

To date, China has provided 1.7 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 100 countries, and will provide a total of 2 billion doses within this year. In addition, China has supplied more than 70 million doses of vaccines and donated $100 million to COVAX. 

"Vaccine supply should be maximized through a combination of donation, commercial purchases, joint production and other means," Qin noted. 

The ambassador stressed that China firmly supports developing countries in fighting against the pandemic, with over 99 percent of vaccines provided by China for the world shipped to developing countries.

President Xi announced in September that China will donate another 100 million doses of vaccines to developing countries by the end of this year. 

What's more, China has launched an Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation with 30 countries, and is conducting joint vaccine production with 19 developing countries, Qin added.

"Countries must take a scientific attitude, and oppose stigmatization and politicization," Qin said, urging major countries like the US to earnestly shoulder their responsibilities in taking the lead in providing vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, and help them build up production of vaccines.

Global Times