Brazilian academics and other authorities in their fields think cooperation by Brazil and China in developing and producing COVID-19 vaccines has saved the lives of countless Brazilians, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency quotes Brazilian experts as saying strong demand and pioneering Chinese technology will help their country recover from the pandemic.

The report says Instituto Butantan, a state-owned biomedical research centre in Brazil, and Sinovac Biotech Ltd. of China began a phase three testing of a COVID-19 vaccine, which clinical trial started in June 2020.

Last year the Brazilian regulator, Anvisa, gave permission for emergency use of the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Sinovac.

Sino-Brazilian ccooperation has helped the economy of Brazil rebound from the slump caused by the pandemic, and the annual value of Brazilian foreign trade was greater last year than ever before, according to Xinhua.