By Adhere Cavince | China Daily Global | Updated: 2021-05-18 09:09 Share CLOSE The first batch of Chinese-donated COVID-19 vaccine doses are unloaded from a plane at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb 15, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping used the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in April to call on the international community to take tangible steps toward functional, inclusive and beneficial multilateralism. At a time when the world is facing common enemies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, poverty and inequality, a stronger push for multilateralism is needed. China has been central in promoting an international response to the pandemic that has ranged from sharing knowledge on epidemic control to sending essential commodities such as testing kits, protective clothing, respirators and masks to other countries.