China's continuous support key to Malaysia's vaccination program: official

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has benefitted from continuous support from China in fighting against COVID-19 pandemic, especially in speeding up its national vaccination program with Chinese vaccines, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Saturday.

Khairy, who is also the coordinating minister for Malaysia's national COVID-19 immunization program, thanked the Chinese government for its support and facilitation of the procurement of Chinese vaccines, following a visit to a vaccination center near Kuala Lumpur along with Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing.

"I would like to thank the Chinese government and also the Chinese people for their extraordinary and generous and kind contribution ... This is definitely a symbol of our friendship, a symbol of our partnership.

"Thank you China for sending charcoal in snowy weather. This obviously has helped us in ramping up our vaccination program," he said.

Chinese vaccines feature prominently in Malaysia's national immunization program.

As of July 30, over 13.5 million people or 41.3 percent of Malaysia's total population have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines and some 6.5 million or 19.9 percent are fully vaccinated.