China has administered over 82.84 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine as of March 23 as it prepares to push for vaccinating the entire population, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 100 million doses of homegrown vaccines have been delivered in China or overseas, and domestically developed vaccines have proven safe and effective, it said.

China has taken a three-step approach for its mass immunization program — first inoculating key groups at the highest risk of contracting the disease, gradually moving to vaccinate the elderly and those with chronic diseases, and finally vaccinating all other people willing to receive the doses.

The country's daily production of COVID-19 vaccines has increased from 1.5 million doses on Feb 1 to about 5 million, said Minister of Industry and Information Technology Xiao Yaqing.