SOURCE / ECONOMY
China Southern reaches a milestone as it has transported 100 million COVID-19 vaccines
Published: Dec 01, 2021 08:43 PM
China Southern Airlines Photo: cnsphoto

China Southern Airlines Photo: cnsphoto



A China Southern Airlines flight arrived at Sukarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia on Tuesday with 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines onboard, marking a milestone for the airline as the total number of doses it has transported officially exceeded 100 million.

China Southern Airlines has delivered vaccines to 15 countries and regions across the world and 20 cities in China since the delivery of the first COVID-19 vaccine on February 8. 

The transportation of COVID-19 vaccine is often referred to as the spire of the pyramid, which involves many parties working together, and also challenges the airline's ability to deliver on a deadline.

As the first and exclusive company in the Chinese mainland to obtain both the airline and ground agency certification from the International Air Transport Association's CEIV Pharma, China Southern Airlines has the industry's highest endorsement in the field of temperature-controlled pharmaceutical transportation. 

The carrier said it has led vaccine transportation projects in the South Pacific island countries, including Vanuatu and Kiribati. China Southern also operated 22 vaccine charter flights for the Cambodian government. The amount of vaccines transported by the airline accounted for about 90 percent of Cambodia's total vaccines. 

It has also achieved smooth transportation of vaccines across many non-navigable points such as North Macedonia, Ukraine, and Serbia.

China Southern is not alone. A new shipment of vaccines developed by Chinese pharmaceutical companies Sinopharm and Sinovac was delivered on March 18 by China Eastern Airlines from Beijing to the Dominican Republic, according to the Shanghai-based airline.

This is China's first intercontinental chartered cargo flight to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. Eastern Air Logistics Co, the freight unit under China Eastern Airlines, operated this flight.

China has been fulfilling its commitment to make the COVID-19 vaccine an international public good through donations, sales and joint production. China's Ambassador to the US Qin Gang stated in an online discussion with foreign ministers and leaders of international organizations on November 11 that China has provided more than 1.7 billion doses of vaccines to more than 100 countries and regions. He said that by the end of this year, the country's goal is to provide a total of 2 billion doses.

Global Times