China-donated vaccines arrive in Philippines

Staff members unload vaccines donated by China at a Philippine Air Force base in Manila, the Philippines on Feb. 28, 2021. (Photo/Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines)

A batch of Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac donated by China arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, the first COVID-19 vaccine to reach the Southeast Asian country.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attended the handover ceremony of the vaccines at a Philippine Air Force base in the capital city of Manila.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian attend the arrival ceremony for the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines at Villamor Air Base in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, Feb. 28, 2021. (Photo provided to China News Service)

The Chinese military aircraft containing boxes of Sinovac vaccines, the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines, arrives at Villamor Air Base in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, Feb. 28, 2021. (Photo provided to China News Service)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte welcomes the arrival of the shipment of the Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac at a Philippine Air Force base in Manila, the Philippines on Feb. 28, 2021. (Photo/Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines)

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian makes speeches at the handover ceremony of the vaccines at a Philippine Air Force base in Manila, the Philippines on Feb. 28, 2021. (Photo/Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines)