Beijing 29 July 2021 (TDI)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will host the first meeting of an international forum on COVID-19 vaccine cooperation on the 5th of August. This announcement was made by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Thursday.
He shared that the conference will be held via video link under the theme of “strengthening international cooperation on vaccines, promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world”.
Foreign ministers or competent ministers of relevant countries, representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations, and representatives of relevant enterprises will attend the meeting on behalf of some 30 parties. As part of the conference, a dialogue between vaccine companies from China and participating countries will be held today.
Talking about China’s considerations and expectations from the meeting, Lijian said that at the Global Health Summit in May this year, President Xi Jinping announced China’s five measures to further support global solidarity against COVID-19, including setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. This initiative has been positively acclaimed and widely welcomed by the international community.
He said Vaccine is a powerful weapon to defeat the coronavirus, which is still wreaking havoc worldwide.
The convening of this forum is to follow through on the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s important speech, further promote international cooperation and equitable access to vaccines around the world, and support joint COVID responses to prevail over the epidemic.
Lijian also added that as the largest developing country and a responsible member of the international community, China upholds the vision of building a global community of health for all, and has taken the lead in making the vaccine a global public good, contributing with concrete actions to ensuring accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries, and enhancing capacity building of the vaccine industry in developing countries.
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