China develops COVID-19 vaccines as global public good

A staff member displays samples of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at Sinovac Biotech Ltd., in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2020. [Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei]

BEIJING -- Displayed at the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services, China's COVID-19 vaccine candidates have raised broad attention and hope for the ultimate solution to win the final victory over the virus.

The display reflects not only China's open and inclusive attitude toward vaccine development but also its determination to fulfill the promise of developing COVID-19 vaccines as a global public good.

China has stated on many occasions that it will make its COVID-19 vaccine a global public good when available, contributing to vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries, including African countries.

Adopting five technological approaches in developing COVID-19 vaccines, China has pulled national resources and taken advantage of previous vaccine development experiences to fast track the process.

On March 16, a recombinant vaccine developed by the Institute of Military Medicine under the Academy of Military Sciences started phase-1 clinical trials, the first in the world. So far, multiple vaccine candidates have generated promising results in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, with four vaccines entering international phase-3 clinical trials to be tested on a larger scale.

China's vaccine developers are ramping up vaccine production capabilities to ensure the affordability and accessibility of vaccines. China can currently realize an annual production of 300 million doses of a recombinant COVID-19 vaccine. The China National Biotec Group, the developer of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines, has set up production workshops that can produce 300 million doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines a year. Vaccine developers also vow to further expand their capacity.

In the face of the pandemic, no country is able to claim total victory alone. China views the issue of the vaccine in the principle of win-win cooperation, as the health and safety of the various populations are closely connected.

A staff member takes out samples of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at a vaccine production plant of China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) in Beijing, capital of China, April 11, 2020. [Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei]

To provide the world with a safe, effective and high-quality global public good, China's vaccine developers adhere to international standards and scientific procedures.

Chinese researchers published clinical results in international scientific journals, not only a demonstration of the worship for transparency and data-sharing in scientific research but also a practice of the "public good" pledge by promoting global vaccine development.

China shared the complete genome sequence of the novel coronavirus with the world once it had been identified, which laid a solid foundation for global efforts on vaccine development.

By releasing testing methods and indicators to the world, China's vaccine developers helped researchers from other countries take fewer detours.

China's vaccine pools global strength and will be shared globally. The development of COVID-19 vaccines should not be viewed as a commercial or political race. It is a race together to fight against the virus and save human lives.

Nor should vaccines be monopolized by any country, or be exclusively used by large and wealthy countries.

China's promise to develop COVID-19 vaccines as a global public good is a sign of its willingness to make contributions to building a worldwide community of health for all. China's concrete actions in vaccine development will facilitate global efforts to win an early victory in the fight against coronavirus.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of Qiushi Journal.