Bolivia has reached a deal to obtain half a million doses of China's Sinopharm vaccines. Bolivian President Luis Arce says Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to sell 400,000 doses and donate another 100,000 vaccines. He added that the shipment will arrive before the end of February.

President Arce has hailed bilateral relations with China and says he is committed to launching the country's national vaccination campaign as soon as possible.

Bolivia is the first South American country to officially approve the use of Sinopharm vaccines and is the third country worldwide after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to do so.