As of March 20, China had administered 74.96 million coronavirus vaccine doses, according to Our World in Data, a collaboration between Oxford University and a charity.
The decision came two days before Spain was to resume use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after the EU's drug regulator deemed the jab "safe and effective".
The number of claimants climbed from a low of 278,000 in December to a peak of 481,000 in early February, following the shutting of most of the retail and hospitality sectors.
The number of new infections reported rose above 3,500 on Friday, the highest level since early December, when cases were falling during the second national lockdown.