G20 leaders pledge to fund fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines

The leaders of the G20 have agreed to provide funding for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. “We will exert efforts to make COVID-19 vaccines as public goods that people in all different countries will be able to use,” Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized at the G20 summit, which was held on Saturday and Sunday. Amid continued power vacuum since the U.S. presidential election, China appears to have started taking action to gain upper hands in “COVID-19 diplomacy” on top of a global trade pact.

At the G20 summit, which concluded on Sunday, the leaders adopted a joint communiqué that calls for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and assistance to help developing countries overcome the pandemic crisis. They have agreed to provide support in supply of COVID-19 vaccines at the G20 summit once again after the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Council meeting.

“Regarding COVID-19 vaccine research, G20 member states should cooperate with the WHO and distribute vaccines equitably,” President Xi said to blast Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump made official Washington’s withdrawal from the WHO in July, and his administration has been boycotting the WHO-led COVAX facility designed to distribute vaccines equitably.

“Only when COVID-19 is eliminated from all countries, we will be able to completely eradicate the disease,” South Korean President Moon Jae-in was quoted by the presidential office as saying to stress equitable of vaccine distribution.


Hyung-Jun Hwang constant25@donga.com · Jae-Dong Yu jarrett@donga.com