Solidarity, cooperation most powerful weapons to defeat COVID-19: Chinese ambassador

WASHINGTON - Solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons to defeat COVID-19, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang said Wednesday.

Qin made the remarks during the Virtual COVID-19 Ministerial hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, which gathered multiple foreign ministers and leaders from international organizations to discuss such issues as equity of vaccine distribution and global health security. The ambassador attended the meeting as the representative of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said on many occasions that vaccines should be made a global public good, Qin noted, adding that Xi has proposed the Global Vaccine Cooperation Action Initiative, and called for the fair distribution of vaccines globally, equal treatment of different vaccines, and mutual recognition of vaccines in accordance with the World Health Organization's Emergency Use Listing.

China has so far provided more than 1.7 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries, and will provide a total of two billion doses within this year, Qin said, adding that China has supplied over 70 million doses of vaccines and donated 100 million US dollars to COVAX.

Vaccine supply should be maximized through a combination of donations, commercial purchases, joint production and other means, he said.

China, Qin said, firmly supports developing countries in fighting the pandemic, and has provided them with a large number of medical supplies, with 99 percent of China's vaccines provided for the world having been shipped to developing countries.

Noting that Xi had announced in September that China will donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to other developing countries by the end of this year, Qin said China has also launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation with 30 countries, and is conducting joint vaccine production with 19 developing countries.

Stressing the importance of solidarity and cooperation, Qin urged countries worldwide to adopt a scientific attitude, and oppose stigmatization and politicization.

Major countries need to earnestly shoulder their responsibilities in taking the lead in providing vaccines to low- and mid-income countries quickly and helping them ramp up the production of vaccines, he added.