The Chinese government is donating a total of 1 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, the initial tranche of which will arrive on Friday afternoon.

“As part of China’s pledge to substantively increase the supply of vaccines to the Philippines, China will be donating an additional 1 million Sinopharm vaccines that will arrive this Friday and Saturday,” Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian announced Thursday.

The diplomat said the donation, along with the continuous increase of Sinovac vaccine deliveries this month, would help address the need to augment vaccine supply in the Philippines.

“China was the first country to provide vaccines to the Philippines and the primary partner who has since the very beginning prioritized vaccine export to the Philippines,” Huang said.

To date, Chinese vaccines compose more than 50 percent of the Philippines’ supply, mostly Sinovac’s CoronaVac totaling 23.5 million doses, he said.

“I am thankful for all those Filipino and Chinese colleagues who have been working tirelessly on our vaccine cooperation,” he added.

High-ranking government officials are expected to welcome the vaccine arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 on Friday, with President Rodrigo Duterte participating virtually. (PNA)