China will supply 10 million coronavirus vaccines to developing countries through an initiative co-led by the World Health Organization called COVAX, according to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a briefing Wednesday that China is responding to a request from the WHO to help deliver vaccines to lower-income countries.
He did not specify which Chinese vaccine would go to COVAX. Due to the pandemic, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized the importance of COVAX for the fair global distribution of vaccines. Experts say widespread vaccination will help prevent new mutations in coronavirus strains and ultimately overcome the pandemic.
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China has already shipped a large number of doses of its own vaccines, mainly to developing countries. It has pursued deals or donations with more than 30 countries that far exceeded the 10 million doses it provides to COVAX. In Turkey alone, the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech Ltd. signed a deal to sell 50 million doses.
Its global efforts are seen by many as an attempt to boost China’s reputation as it seeks to restore its image after the first cases of the coronavirus were discovered in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Earlier during the pandemic, China donated face masks and protective clothing to countries around the world as part of a diplomatic push.
Wenbin said WHO is investigating emergency approvals for Chinese vaccines, although the products have been criticized for lack of data from late-stage studies.
A vaccine developed by Sinopharm has been approved for use in China, and the company said the vaccine is 79.3% effective. Sinovac’s shot, in particular, has raised concerns after it initially announced a 78% efficacy rate in protecting against symptomatic diseases, but after counting mild cases, announced its efficacy at just over 50%, based on its Brazil study.
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WHO plans to distribute 2 billion safe and effective vaccines to developing countries through COVAX by 2021. AstraZeneca has already agreed to deliver 170 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, Pfizer has signed 40 million doses, and Johnson & Johnson has signed a memorandum of understanding for 500 million doses of its one-time vaccine. The agreements follow other deals, such as 200 million doses from the Serum Institute of India and 200 million doses from the Sanofi / GSK vaccine candidate, according to WHO.
Shipments are expected to start in the first quarter of 2021.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.