Concerns about China using vaccines to sway other countries are “narrow-minded”, a top political advisory body has said, apparently dismissing a notion among rival powers that Beijing exploits the fight against Covid-19 to boost its global influence.

Guo Weimin, spokesman for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said some suspect China is using Covid-19 vaccines to “expand our geopolitical influence”.

“This idea is extremely narrow-minded,” Guo said at a news conference, ahead of the opening of the annual meeting of CPPCC on Thursday.