The EU has offered free Covid-19 vaccines to China to help Beijing contain a mass outbreak of the illness following its decision to end strict nationwide pandemic-related restrictions.

The offer was made in recent days ahead of a meeting of EU health ministry officials on Tuesday, said EU commission officials, speaking under the condition of anonymity. The initiative is part of efforts by health commissioner Stella Kyriakides to arrange a European response to the prospect of a wave of infections after Beijing ditched its so-called “zero Covid” policy.

“Commissioner Kyriakides has reached out to her Chinese counterparts to offer solidarity and support, including public health expertise as well as through variant-adapted EU vaccine donations,” said one official. Beijing has yet to respond to the offer, the person added.