Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the open ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council concerning the COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Beijing by video on the 17th. Wang Yi said at the meeting that China has never sought any geopolitical goals, never calculated to obtain any economic benefits or attached any political conditions to carrying out international cooperation about vaccine. What China wants most is to make vaccine a public product that people of all countries can use and afford, and truly become “all people’s vaccine”.
In fact, China’s leader Xi Jinping has said on many occasions that “China’s vaccine will be a global public product and will contribute to the realization of the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries after its completion and application” “China will strive to make the vaccine accessible and affordable for all countries and all people ” This is China’s solemn commitment, a great power’s responsibility, and a vivid interpretation of the concept of a community of shared future for mankind.
The Chinese always are sincere in what they say, and to carry out what they do. In response to WHO, China would be determined to provide 10 million doses of vaccine to the “COVID-19 vaccine implementation plan”, which is mainly needed by developing countries including Afghanistan. Earlier, a spokesman of China’s foreign ministry said that China has provided vaccine assistance to 53 developing countries and is exporting vaccine to 22 other countries. According to the incomplete statistics, so far, at least eight foreign heads of state or top leaders have been publicly vaccinated with Chinese vaccines. For example, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chilean President Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique and 78 year old Equatorial Guinea president Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo have been vaccinated with the vaccine donated by China.
In sharp contrast, concerning the global short supply of COVID-19 vaccine, some western rich countries are frantically placing orders for “hoarding”, and the United States has even issued an administrative order of “America first” for them. These countries always talk about “human rights” and “fairness”, and often accuse China of doing wrong here and there. However, once it comes to the major issues related to human life and health, it will immediately become “ugly to eat”.
As we all know, it’s easy to blame others, but hard to reflect on oneself. Especially when it comes to life safety, it is even more difficult to stick to the principles of fairness and justice. On the issue of vaccine distribution, China has a clear-cut stand and firmly opposes “vaccine distribution nationalism”. China’s proposal of a community of shared future for mankind is not just a statement. This is what China thinks and does when the challenge of vaccine distribution comes!
