The first batch of Covid-19 vaccine arrived in Pakistan on Monday from China via a special PAF plane. The first tranche contains 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine that has been gifted by China. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health (SAPM) Dr Faisal Sultan announced the development in a tweet and expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government and ‘everyone who made this happen’. “NCOC and provinces played an instrumental role in tackling Covid. I salute our frontline healthcare workers for their efforts and they’ll be first to get vaccinated,” he tweeted. Speaking at the Nur Khan Airbase during the handing over ceremony, which was also attended by China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, Qureshi said China has once again made a practical demonstration of its friendship with Pakistan. “This year is even more significant as it marks 70 years since we established diplomatic ties. We have planned to celebrate [the milestone] and open new doors of cooperation and friendship.” On behalf of the government, the prime minister, and the nation, the foreign minister thanked China which has stated since day one that the vaccine would be used for ‘public good’ and to protect people’s lives. “China has demonstrated this [commitment] and initiated this campaign from Pakistan. This is practical proof reflecting Pakistan and China’s friendship.” In addition to thanking Chinese President Xi Jinping, Qureshi also thanked his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. He also gave a special mention to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Chinese doctors for coming to Pakistan and training medical health professionals on how to combat the virus. “I want to thank the PAF [and] our pilots who flew the plane to Beijing and brought it back immediately. They did not rest for even a minute. They did this service for the people of Pakistan. We are grateful to PAF [and] we are proud of you,” he said. Ambassador Nong Rong said Pakistan is the first country in the world to receive vaccines donated by the Chinese government, terming it a “manifestation of our brotherhood”. “Pakistan is our closest friend [and] is the priority for our cooperation. We would like to appreciate the Pakistan government for its facilitation in granting emergency approval to [Sinopharm’s] vaccine and for conducting the Phase 3 trial [of CanSino vaccine]. We expect more cooperation to follow and more people can benefit from it,” he said. The ambassador observed that 2021 would mark 70 years of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and China. “We are proud of the friendship that is higher than mountains, deeper than the sea [and] sweeter than honey. Our hearts grow closer in the joint fight against Covid-19,” he said, adding that cooperation between both countries in the financial sector, including CPEC projects, would help Pakistan recover from the economic impact of the coronavirus. The ambassador said the NCOC’s national strategy against the contagion is commendable and will like to compliment the NCOC for its endeavours to save public lives.