A staff member displays samples of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at Sinovac Biotech Ltd., in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2020. Photo: Xinhua
By GT staff reporters
China has announced the country will promote the development of a COVID-19 vaccine as a global public good when it becomes available, which experts said reflects China’s resolution and generosity in serving the international community, while some European companies and the US seek to use vaccines to pursue their own interests.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday announced the country will make COVID-19 vaccine a global public good when available as he addressed the opening of the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly via video link.
Zhang Xiaolian, a research fellow on immunology from the Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the keynote speech mentioning the coronavirus vaccine as a global public good shows China’s general attitude of not seeing profits as a priority, but that China intends to serve the global community in the face of the public health crisis.
China will not use any vaccine as a private asset but will share with the rest of the world, especially African countries which are struggling to combat the virus, Zhang said.
According to a report from the World Health Organization released on May 15, there are a total of 118 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development, with eight entering clinical trials, four of which are from China.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, Baba Ahmad Jidda, agreed that China and Africa can collaborate in developing a COVID-19 vaccine.
China has already made significant progress in the clinical trials of potential COVID-19 vaccines, which would be of tremendous benefit not only to Chinese citizens but also to the global community, the ambassador previously told the Global Times in an exclusive interview.
In contrast, French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi is facing condemnation after announcing it will give priority to the US in using their vaccines when available.
Oxford University had also reached agreement with Swedish drug maker Astrazeneca to give priority to increasing production capacity for Britain on a vaccine they developed, according to media reports.
US President Donald Trump also revealed he would use vaccines as a strategic asset.
While China shared the genome sequence information on the novel coronavirus in a timely manner, the US concealed their research into vaccines.
Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at the China Foreign Affairs University, warned that by using vaccines as a strategic asset, the Trump administration may further hinder the global effort in dealing with the virus, as the US could be reluctant to share its research and development with the world.
