China donates vaccine doses to United Nations peacekeeping mission

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.

Ambassador Zhang Jun sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informing him of the donation, China's U.N. Mission said Monday. It follows the announcement by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi of Beijing's intention to donate vaccines at a U.N. 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 U.N. and multilateralism.

Last month, the U.N. thanked India for offering 200,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for U.N. peacekeepers.

The U.N. 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 U.N. plans to do with the two offers.