BEIJING — The BRICS Vaccine R&D Center-China Center was launched by Sinovac Research and Development Co Ltd on May 28 in Beijing.

The center will combine online and offline methods to promote joint research, vaccine development and testing, and factory building. It will also promote authorized production and mutual recognition of standards between Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the Beijing-based company said.

Sinovac supplied 540 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac to China and nearly 40 countries and regions worldwide, accounting for about a quarter of the total global supply. Nearly 400 million doses of CoronaVac have been administered globally, data showed.