China to Donate 500,000 Coronavirus Vaccine Doses to Philippines

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JANUARY 09: Devotees are seen wearing facemasks and face shields to protect against COVID-19 as they hear mass outside Quiapo church to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2021 in Manila, Philippines. Due to the pandemic, authorities cancelled the annual "traslacion", the country's largest religious event that draws millions of barefoot devotees who jostle one another to get close to the life-sized image of the "Black Nazarene" during a mosh-pit like procession around the Philippine capital. Instead, church leaders organized hourly masses at Manila's Quiapo church which houses the statue. Catholic devotees queued for the masses despite warnings from authorities to stay home amid the threat of the coronavirus. The Feast of the Black Nazarene is usually attended by as many as 6 million barefoot devotees and happens every January 9th. The Black Nazarene is a dark wood sculpture of Jesus brought to the Philippines in 1606 from Spain and considered miraculous by Filipino devotees. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

(Bloomberg) --

China will donate 500,000 vaccine doses to the Philippines as relations between the two improve as they cooperate to fight the coronavirus.

The pledge was made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday in Manila, where he met with his Filipino counterpart Teodoro Locsin, according to a statement from the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department. There were no details provided on the vaccines that will be given.

“Mutual support and growing trust characterize our ties more than ever,” Locsin said. “The fight against Covid-19 and the universal acceptance of the new inescapable normal is entering a turning point, with the beginning of vaccinations.”

Wang, who arrived in Manila on Friday, is on a week-long Southeast Asia trip that includes stops in Indonesia and Myanmar. This is the second meeting in several months between Wang and Locsin, who visited China in October.

China agreed on a 500 million yuan ($77 million) grant to finance Philippine livelihood, infrastructure and other projects, according to the Philippine foreign affairs department. Officials are also expected to witness the ceremonial launch of Bank of China’s yuan clearing facility.

Wang’s visit comes amid lingering tensions in the South China Sea and ahead of next week’s leadership change in the U.S.

“With our two nations’ abiding interest in regional stability and the security of our maritime commons, it behooves us to show our ability to rise to the challenge of managing differences peacefully and in accordance with law,” Locsin said.

(Adds details on China vaccine donation in first two paragraphs)