China's Institute for Biological Products Control became the seventh collaborating center for biological standardization of the World Health Organization, the institute said on Jan 17.

The institute, under China's National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, is the first collaborating center in a developing country.

A collaborating center carries out activities to support the WHO's programs.

The recognition by the WHO proves that China's technology for testing and quality control of biological products has reached a world-class level, said Wang Junzhi, deputy director of the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control.

"The establishment of the center will greatly increase China's voice and influence in biological production," Wang said. "China, as the world's biggest vaccine maker and user, will be able to join other WHO centers to lead international production and research in this field." "It will also provide crucial technical support to domestic biological companies to help them compete in the international market," he said.

China has 36 companies that produce a total of 1 billion doses of vaccines annually, the institute said.