China to provide more vaccines, international assistance

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China will provide more vaccines against COVID-19 to the world, as well as international assistance.

The country will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses of vaccines to the world by the end of this year, Xi said in his statement delivered via video at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In addition to donating 100 million U.S. dollars to COVAX, China will donate 100 million additional doses of vaccines to other developing countries this year, he said.

Xi has stressed on many occasions the need to make vaccines a global public good and ensure vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries.

He said that the pressing priority is to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines globally.

Xi also stressed caring about the special needs of developing countries.

"We may employ such means as debt suspension and development aid to help developing countries, particularly vulnerable ones facing exceptional difficulties, with emphasis on addressing unbalanced and inadequate development among and within countries," he said.

China has pledged an additional 3 billion U.S. dollars of international assistance in the next three years to support developing countries in responding to COVID-19 and promoting economic and social recovery, he added.