KIEV — China has proved itself a defender of the international order with its transnational efforts to help fight COVID-19 and international rules-based foreign policy, sinologist Dmitry Yefremov told Xinhua in an interview on March 7.

Yefremov, a member of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists and a research fellow at the Institute for Modern China Studies, said that the remarks made by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a recent press conference in Beijing indicate that China's globally beneficial policies would continue.

At the press conference on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress, Wang reiterated China's commitment to multilateralism, the principles of the United Nations Charter, and its policy of non-interference. He also stressed that China opposes "vaccine nationalism".

"China's behavior during this difficult period describes it as a responsible stakeholder which ensures the international order and is not only ready to take responsibility and risks, but also ready to demonstrate global leadership in complicated international issues," Yefremov said, praising China's role in the global fight against the pandemic.

According to official data released in January, China had provided assistance to over 150 countries and 13 international organizations, and sent 36 medical expert teams to countries in need as a part of its efforts to help the world win the fight against the coronavirus.

"China has provided tremendous and invaluable help to developing countries," Yefremov stressed.

Speaking of the attempts of some countries to politicize vaccine cooperation, Yefremov said that "vaccine nationalism" does not contribute to the global fight against the pandemic.

"All humanity would benefit if vaccines, regardless of the country of production, could be made available to developing countries and countries in deep crisis," the expert said, hailing China's efforts to combat the inequality seen in the distribution of vaccines worldwide.

Yefremov praised Wang's calls for all members of the international community to work together to promote multilateralism.

"Multilateralism, openness, tolerance, consultations based on equality — these are the building blocks of international rules and international relations. They form the basis of the UN's efficiency," Yefremov said.

On the reform of the United Nations, Yefremov said "China's position on increasing the representation and influence of developing countries in the organization is one of the most important directions of such a reform."