China has approved emergency use of Sinovac Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine in people aged between three and 17, its chairman Yin Weidong told state TV Friday.

Weidong said that offering Sinovac's vaccine to younger groups depends on health authorities formulating China's inoculation strategies.

He said minors have lower priority for coronavirus vaccination compared with the elderly, who face higher risk of severe symptoms after infection.

Preliminary results from Phase I and II clinical trials showed the vaccine could trigger immune response in three to 17 year-old participants, and most adverse reactions were mild.

June 1, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the Chinese Sinovac coronavirus vaccine produced by the Beijing-based pharmaceutical company Sinovac, for emergency use.