China supports India, S Africa on Covid vaccines patents waiver

China has come out in support of India and South Africa's proposal for a temporary patents waiver for coronavirus vaccines. Beijing has asserted that it will back all actions that are conducive to the developing countries' fight against the pandemic.

India and South Africa called for patents waiver for Covid-19 vaccines at the World Trade Organization in October last year so that people in developing countries get access to life-saving vaccines.

Since then, the proposal has garnered support in the US and the European Union.

Early this month, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala appealed to the member countries to quickly present and negotiate a text that could temporarily ease trade rules that protect Covid-19 vaccine technology, considering the urgency.