China will make its coronavirus vaccine a global public good once one is available, President Xi Jinping told the World Health Organization’s governing body.
Xi’s comments come amid growing concern that countries will put national interests first in the quest for a protective shot, seen as the key to getting economies moving again.
The WHO is pushing a proposal that aims to ensure broad access to treatments and vaccines while offering an appropriate reward to creators. “Covid-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good, which will be China’s contribution to ensuring vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries," Xi said in a speech to the World Health Assembly.