China has committed 10 million doses of its vaccines to COVAX, but that number pales in comparison with the more than 100 million doses it has sent overseas via bilateral deals with individual countries -- including donations to poor nations.
While a welcome gesture, these donation deals, often influenced by politics, don't necessarily lead to vaccines reaching the countries in greatest need.
Thomas Bollyky, director of the Global Health Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, said that of the 65 countries China has pledged donations to, all but two are participants in the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing's multibillion dollar global infrastructure and trade program.
"While I'm glad China is donating, those donations aren't being distributed in the way with the first priority of preventing unnecessary deaths or ending this pandemic as soon as possible," Bollyky said. "They seem to be distributed in the manner that is guided by China's strategic interest."