China to donate 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Philippines

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday announced that China is planning to donate 500,000 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines to the Philippines.

According to the DFA, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. of the plan during his two-day official visit to the country.

“The State Councilor informed the Secretary of China’s intention to donate 500,000 doses of vaccines to the Philippines, in keeping with President Xi’s commitment to President Duterte,” the DFA said in a statement.

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— DFA Philippines (@DFAPHL) January 16, 2021

Wang did not mention the manufacturer of the vaccine China will be given nor a timetable for its arrival in the Philippines.

Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine has a 79.34 percent efficacy, while Sinovac Biotech’s vaccine has less than 60 percent efficacy in the Brazil trial and a 91 percent efficacy in Turkey.

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Wednesday that Sinovac offered the “best price” as he asked the public not to “discriminate” against other vaccines. -

During the meeting, Foreign Affaist Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Wang also witnessed the signing of a bilateral deal on Economic and Technical Cooperation by Finance Undersecretary Mark Joven and China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Vice Chair Deng Boqing.

The agreement makes available a grant of 500 million RMB or more than P3 billion to finance livelihood projects, infrastructure facilities, feasibility studies for major projects and other mutually agreed projects. -MDM, GMA News