MOSCOW, July 25. /TASS/. Belarus is in negotiations with three Chinese companies on joint production of coronavirus vaccines and on commercial supplies of about one million vaccine doses by the end of August, Belarusian Ambassador to China Yuri Senko said on Sunday.
"Today, talks are underway with three Chinese vaccine manufacturers. We hope a decision will soon be taken concerning joint vaccine production in Belarus," he said in an interview with the STV television channel.
He also said that at the instruction of the Belarusian president the country’s health ministry was negotiating purchases of a vaccine batch at a good discount. "We hope a contract will soon be signed and I think about a million vaccine doses will reach Belarus by late August," he said.
The diplomat recalled that China had donated 400,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses to Belarus. "This vaccine is in high demand. It is reputed as a vaccine with a high efficacy," he noted.
A vaccination campaign as part of post-registration tests of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine kicked off in Belarus from October 1, 2020. Belarus was second after Russia to register this vaccine. Joint production of Sputnik V has been organized in Belarus. Apart from that, the country has received three batches of China’s Vero Cell vaccine. Another Russian coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik Light, was registered in Belarus on June 3.