BEIJING – China will donate 100 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries within this year on top of a donation of US$100 million to COVAX, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.
Xi made the announcement in Beijing while addressing the 13th BRICS summit via video link.
China will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world by the end of this year, said President Xi Jinping, noting that China, to date, has provided more than 1 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations
China will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world by the end of this year, said Xi, noting that China, to date, has provided more than 1 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations.
Xi also said at the summit that China will take over as the chair of BRICS and host the 14th BRICS summit next year.
China looks forward to working with BRICS partners to deepen cooperation in all areas and build a closer and more results-oriented partnership to meet common challenges and create a better future, Xi said.
Xi said that the BRICS countries have become an important force on the international stage to be reckoned with.
Over the past 15 years, the five countries have enhanced strategic communication and political trust in the spirit of openness, inclusiveness and equality, respected each other's social system and development path, and explored a sound way for countries to interact with each other, Xi said.
While seeking synergy between their development policies and drawing on their complementarities, the five countries have made solid progress in various areas of cooperation in the spirit of pragmatism, innovation and win-win cooperation, and have forged ahead on the common journey of development, he added.
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Xi said the five countries have supported multilateralism and taken part in global governance in the spirit of equity, justice, and mutual assistance.
"What has happened shows that come what may, we can make smooth, solid and sustained progress in BRICS cooperation as long as we pull our minds and our efforts," he added.
Xi made five proposals for BRICS practical cooperation, adding that, under the current circumstances, it is important for BRICS countries to stay resolved, strengthen unity and further enhance the quality of practical cooperation
Xi proposed that BRICS strengthen public health cooperation in the spirit of solidarity; strengthen international cooperation on vaccines in the spirit of equitable access for all; strengthen economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit; strengthen political and security cooperation in the spirit of fairness and justice; and strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the spirit of mutual learning.
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