China urges countries to avoid export curbs, hoarding of COVID vaccines

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – China on Tuesday urged all countries to refrain from “excessive hoarding” and curbs on export of COVID-19 vaccines.

“China calls on countries with the ability to provide COVID-19 vaccines to avoid export restrictions or excessive hoarding, and make due contributions to eliminate the immunization gap,” Wang Yi, China’s state counselor and foreign minister, said as he addressed a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Italy via video link.

Pressing G20 countries to help others in the fight against the pandemic, he pointed out that Beijing has provided more than 450 million vaccine doses to nearly 100 countries, Chinese daily Global Times reported.

China has repeatedly voiced opposition to “vaccine nationalism” and called for equitable distribution of COVID-19 jabs around the world.

Last month, President Xi Jinping told the Global Health Summit hosted by Italy that Beijing will provide an additional $3 billion to support developing countries in their COVID-19 response.

He said China will “continue to supply more vaccines to the best of its capability” and also supports the proposal to waive intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines.