China donates 300,000 vaccine doses to UN peacekeepers

Ambassador Zhang Jun sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informing him of the donation, China's UN Mission said Monday.

China's UN ambassador says China is donating 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority given to those serving in Africa.

Workers in protective suits prepare to contain a new outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the locked-down part of the Sai Ying Pun area, in Hong Kong, China March 15, 2021. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu (REUTERS)

Ambassador Zhang Jun sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informing him of the donation, China's UN Mission said Monday. It follows the announcement by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi of Beijing's intention to donate vaccines at a UN Security Council meeting on Feb. 17.

The mission said “China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers” and the donation “is a further step to make China's vaccines a global public good, and also a demonstration of China's firm and continuous support to the UN and multilateralism.”

Last month, the UN thanked India for offering 200,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses for UN peacekeepers.

The UN currently has a dozen peacekeeping operations, half in Africa with a total of about 100,000 peacekeepers.

There was no immediate word on what the UN plans to do with the two offers.