ISLAMABAD - The first batch of COVID-19 vaccine that China provided to the COVAX facility was officially handed over to Pakistan during a ceremony held here on Thursday.

Early Wednesday morning, a batch of over 970,000 doses of Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Islamabad International Airport.

Speaking at the event, Special Assistant to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan thanked China for providing COVID-19 vaccine to Pakistan through the COVAX facility.

He said that the newly-arrived doses highlight China's concrete actions in fulfilling its promise of making Chinese COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and the special and deep relationship between the two countries.

Sultan said that Chinese COVID-19 vaccines including Sinopharm vaccine are safe and efficient, which enjoy "great acceptability" among the Pakistani people, adding that Pakistan has recently achieved its target of administering over 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in a day and the newly-arrived consignment will further promote Pakistan's vaccination drive.

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong said that China will send more vaccines to Pakistan through the COVAX facility in the future.

China has made Pakistan a priority for COVID-19 vaccine aid and exports, Nong said, adding that "China and Pakistan have worked hand in hand to help each other to fight against COVID-19, setting a good example for global cooperation against the pandemic."

"In the face of the COVID-19, China has announced a series of major initiatives to support the global fight against the pandemic, promoting the building of a global community of health for all with practical actions." He said.

Underlining the need for international cooperation and solidarity to fight against the pandemic, he said that this common enemy for mankind can be defeated in an earliest possible way if the international community work together, "do away with 'vaccine nationalism' and jointly oppose politicization of origin-tracing of the coronavirus...promote fair and equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide."