China has signed up to a deal to ensure future Covid-19 vaccines are distributed to developing countries, the biggest economy yet to join the World Health Organisation-led bid to control the pandemic.

The COVAX pledge to get vaccines to poorer nations as soon as they are developed aims to head off fears rich countries will limit distribution of game-changing medicines made by their pharmaceutical companies, according to AFP.

The deal gives China, the country where the virus first emerged, a prominent role in the global effort to share vaccines with less-developed countries.

China joined COVAX to “honour its commitment to turn Covid-19 vaccines into a global public good,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said of the October 8 agreement.

She gave no details on how much money China would commit to the deal, which has a fundraising goal of $2 billion and aims to provide 92 low and middle-income countries with a future vaccine.