Experts say the Communist Party sees more at stake than public health. One of the biggest concerns is the economy. China is also looking to defuse criticism over its early handling of the outbreak.
The Chinese government has fast-tracked promising projects, and poured money and resources into the effort to find a vaccine. Experts say the ruling Communist Party recognizes there's much more at stake than public health.
"If a Chinese scientist could come up with a workable vaccine, I think it will help to defuse that kind of blaming or call for, you know, even reparation," he says."There is pressure, enormous pressure, I think, for Chinese scientists to come up with an efficient or workable vaccine for the coronavirus pandemic."
Xi on Monday pledged to share any vaccine with the rest of the world. William Lee, chief economist at the Milken Institute, which is tracking global vaccine projects, says Beijing is targeting developing countries and territories linked to the Belt and Road Initiative, China's signature global infrastructure drive.
According to government statistics, R&D spending in science and technology last year was more than $300 billion, about 24 times what it was two decades ago.
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