BEIJING -- Over 224.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered across China as of Sunday, the National Health Commission said on April 26.

Since Saturday, Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm has commenced phase-1 and phase-2 clinical trials for its new recombinant vaccine against COVID-19.

Developed by the China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a Sinopharm's bioscience subsidiary, the vaccine obtained a clinical research permit from the National Medical Products Administration on April 9.

This is CNBG's third COVID-19 vaccine candidate approved for human trials.