China has become the biggest provider of outbound vaccines among all countries: Chinese FM

China has provided more than 2 billion doses of COVID vaccines to over 120 countries and international organizations as of December 26, becoming the biggest provider of outbound vaccines among all countries, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Wang made the remarks in an interview with Xinhua News Agency and China Media Group on the international situation and China's diplomacy in 2021.

"While bringing the virus under control domestically, China has, from the very beginning, been committed to helping others affected by the virus," Wang said.

China started with global emergency humanitarian assistance, kicking off the first half of the international campaign against the coronavirus with a focus on providing emergency supplies, he said.

According to Wang, up until now, China has provided about 372 billion masks, over 4.2 billion protective suits and over 8.4 billion testing kits to the international community.

"One out of every two COVID vaccines administered across the globe is made in China. For many countries, especially developing countries, the first batch of vaccines and the majority of the vaccines they have received came from China," he said, adding that this sets China apart from certain countries which only make empty promises.

Not long ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will provide another 1 billion doses of COVID vaccines to Africa, including 600 million doses as a donation. Wang said this will help African countries achieve the goal set by the African Union of vaccinating 60 percent of the African population by 2022.

Wang added that China will also donate additional 150 million doses to ASEAN countries. China supports Chinese companies in transferring technologies to developing countries, and have launched joint vaccine production with 20 countries.

"China did not do any of this for selfish geopolitical interest, and China did not attach any political strings to these actions at all. Rather, we are taking concrete actions to help build a great wall of immunization for the health of all and a health shield for developing countries," he said.