The European Union Offers A Free COVID-19 Vaccine, China: Our Annual Production 5.5 BILLION Doses, Fulfilling The Needs Of All People

COVID-19 vaccination in China. (Wikimedia Commons/David290)

JAKARTA - The European Union (EU) has offered a free COVID-19 vaccine to China, EU executives said on Tuesday, as cases of COVID-19 infection soared there in line with the easing of its zero-COVID policy.

China has not responded to the offer, a spokesman for the European Commission told reporters at a regular briefing. He did not specify the number of vaccines the EU or its manufacturer has to offer.

"Given the COVID situation in China, Commissioner (Health) Stella Kyriakides has contacted his Chinese counterparts to offer EU solidarity and support," the spokesman said.

"This includes public health expertise as well as EU vaccine donations that are adapted to variants," he continued.

Asked if Beijing would accept the EU's offer, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning ruled out an immediate response, saying China's vaccination rate and treatment capacity continued to rise and its supply was adequate.

"As the COVID situation enters a new phase, we have seen increased vaccination rates, strengthened treatment capacity, and expanded medical supply production capacity, which generally have adequate supply," Mao Ning explained, citing the Chinese Foreign Ministry website.

"China has built the world's largest COVID vaccine production line with an annual production capacity of more than 7 billion doses and an annual yield of more than 5.5 billion doses, which meets the need to ensure that all eligible people for vaccination have access to a COVID vaccine."

It is known, China has so far insisted on using only homemade vaccines - which are an inactive type of virus and are not based on Western mRNA technology - for its own population.

"China's COVID situation can be predicted and under control. We are ready to work with the international community in solidarity, overcome the challenges of COVID more effectively, protect people's lives and health better," concluded Mao Ning.