(AP) – China is joining the world coronavirus vaccine alliance known as COVAX. China has at least four vaccine candidates in the last stage of clinical trials.
A foreign ministry spokeswoman says China is joining to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines and hopes more countries will also join. The terms of the agreement and how China will contribute are not yet clear.
The alliance is designed so that participation by richer countries helps finance access to vaccines for poorer ones, but there’s uncertainty about how it will achieve that goal. The U.S. has declined to join.
