LUSAKA - A batch of China's Sinopharm vaccines arrived in Zambia on Saturday to be part of the southern African nation's basket of COVID-19 vaccines.

A plane of Ethiopian Airlines carrying the vaccines arrived at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Saturday. Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie, Permanent Secretary in charge of Technical Services in the Ministry of Health Kennedy Malama, as well as officials from the United Nations agencies witnessed the arrival of the vaccines.

The Chinese envoy said the donation was another important embodiment of the all-whether friendship and unity of the two governments and peoples in fighting the pandemic.

He said he hoped the donation of the vaccines and syringes will support Zambia's anti-epidemic efforts, adding that unity and cooperation are important for effectively fighting the pandemic.

"China is actively promoting the COVID-19 vaccine as an important measure to fight against the pandemic," he said.