China to provide COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers at early date: FM spokesperson

Members of China's 5th peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan take a military exercise in South Sudan, on Jan. 4, 2019. (Photo by Zhu Xiaonan/Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers and will work with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date, a foreign ministry spokesperson said here Tuesday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's remarks came after China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun on Monday notified UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to the African mission area.

This is a concrete measure to fulfill China's pledge to make vaccines global public goods, Zhao said, adding that it has fully demonstrated China's support to the UN and multilateralism as well as its concern for the health and safety of peacekeepers.

As one of the champions of the safety and security issue under the "Action for Peacekeeping" initiative of the UN secretary-general, China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers, and supports early COVID-19 vaccination for UN peacekeepers to protect their health and help them better perform their duties, he said.

"China will work closely with the UN Secretariat to make vaccines donated by China available to the UN peacekeepers at an early date," said Zhao.