On August 6, 2021, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Wang Xiaolong held a video briefing to introduce China's provision of COVID-19 vaccines to the world. The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Reuters, Agencia EFE, TASS, ANSA, China Arab TV and other foreign media outlets attended the event.

Wang Xiaolong briefed on the First Meeting of the International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation. He said that the most important highlight of the meeting was President Xi Jinping's written announcement of providing 2 billion COVID-19 vaccines doses to the world throughout this year, and offering 100 million U.S. dollars to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility to provide developing countries with vaccines. It means that apart from inoculating its own population to combat the pandemic, China is willing to provide safe and effective vaccines for nearly 10 percent of the world population from other countries. It reflects China's firm commitment to making vaccines a global public good and building a global community of health for all, and shows that China will strongly support the global COVID response. In his keynote speech, State Councilor Wang Yi stressed that people's life and health must always be our first priority, and vaccines are first and foremost a global public good. Vaccines should be shared with greater intensity and speed to make them accessible and affordable for developing countries as quickly as possible.

Based on facts and figures, Wang Xiaolong introduced the implementation of President Xi Jinping's important announcement of making vaccines a global public good, as well as concrete measures of promoting vaccine cooperation and fair and equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide.

As of August 4, China has provided 770 million doses of vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations through assistance, export and joint production, benefiting hundreds of millions of people. The vaccine doses provided by China for other countries accounted for over 45 percent of those administered on its own land, which means for every two doses inoculated by Chinese nationals, China provides one to other countries.

After the conditional approval of its domestic vaccines, China has started to provide them to other countries upon their request, and shipped out the first batch of vaccines on February 1. For a number of developing countries, Chinese vaccines are the first batch of vaccines they have received, and the only ones they could get for a long time afterward.

Wang Xiaolong emphasized that China has always prioritized the provision for Asian, African and Latin American countries. Up to now, over 90 percent of the vaccines provided by China have been delivered to these countries. China launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation with 29 countries, aiming to provide vaccines for Belt and Road Initiative partners, and jointly build a "health silk road". China has donated vaccines for over 80 countries and international organizations, of which over one-third are African countries. In addition, China is the first to send vaccines to war-stricken regions such as Afghanistan and Syria.

Wang Xiaolong also introduced joint vaccine production between Chinese enterprises and other countries. China is committed to expanding overseas joint production to effectively increase the supply of vaccines worldwide. Until now, Chinese vaccine companies have launched joint production in eight countries and provided vaccines to the regions of these countries, so that Chinese vaccines are accessible to more countries faster and at a lower cost, to help developing countries with their capacity building. Chinese vaccines produced in multiple countries are serving people around the globe. Meanwhile, Chinese enterprises are also producing vaccines developed by foreign countries. Sinopharm and Sinovac have reached an agreement with COVAX on providing 110 million doses of vaccines before the end of October. The first batch will be delivered to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Algeria. China's 100 million U.S. dollars donation to COVAX announced by President Xi Jinping will make a greater contribution to the equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide.

Wang Xiaolong also answered specific questions from the media about China's participation in international vaccine cooperation.