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China takes the lead at international forum tackling Covid-19 vaccine inequality
- Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledges more technology transfers and production agreements to get vaccines to developing countries
- The UN estimates 11 billion more doses are needed to vaccinate 70 per cent of the world’s population against the disease
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With 11 billion more doses of vaccines needed to inoculate 70 per cent of the world’s population against Covid-19, Beijing is positioning itself as a leader in tackling the widening gap in distribution between richer and poorer countries.
The UN’s secretary general Antonio Guterres gave the latest estimate on the world’s vaccination requirements on Thursday, at an international vaccine forum hosted by China and attended by more than 20 other countries, including Thailand, South Africa, Brazil, Egypt, Mexico and Russia.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi told the forum China would step up its vaccine help to developing countries, including through technology transfers and joint production agreements, a foreign ministry statement said.
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His remarks put more details on a message to the event from President Xi Jinping that China’s contribution of vaccines to the world would reach 2 billion doses by the end of the year. Xi also pledged a US$100 million donation to the Covax Facility, the equitable access initiative led by the World Health Organization.
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Wang said China would donate at least 100 million doses of the vaccine to the Covax scheme by the end of October and reiterated that his country’s only intention was to provide a public good, with no strings attached.
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