Leaders of Zimbabwe, Chile, Bolivia, and Hungary expressed their gratitude to China for providing or donating COVID-19 vaccines.

In an interview with Chinese media, President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe said the donation is a testament to the long-standing relationship between the people of Zimbabwe and China. 

Mnangagwa said the kind gesture speaks volumes to the cordial relations between the two countries that date back to the 1960s when China provided assistance to Zimbabwe during its fight against colonial rule.

"We feel greatly honored, and this speaks volumes to the relationship between us and the people of China," he said.

Zimbabwe will receive on Monday 200,000 doses of vaccines donated by China, the first vaccines it has received as it steps up efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic. The country has already finalized a vaccine deployment strategy that would see at least 10 million people, about 60 percent of the population, being inoculated.

He also expressed confidence that the vaccines will help Zimbabwe counter the pandemic and play a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of its people.

Chilean president receives China's CoronaVac vaccine

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Friday received the first dose of the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac against the novel coronavirus disease, along with those aged 71 and over.

While visiting a community healthcare center in the southern region of Los Rios, where the president spends his austral summer vacations, Pinera joined more than 1.5 million Chileans in receiving at least the first dose of the vaccine.

The president took the opportunity to send a message of confidence to the public regarding the application of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine, the one most used as part of the national vaccination drive.

"I want to tell all my compatriots that this vaccine is safe, it is effective, and we have made an enormous effort to be able to vaccinate all Chileans," Pinera told reporters at a press conference after getting vaccinated.

Bolivia, China ink COVID-19 vaccine cooperation deal

Bolivia and China signed an agreement for the supply of pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm's vaccine at the Bolivian government's headquarters, an event attended by Bolivia's President Luis Arce, Vice President David Choquehuanca, and China's ambassador to Bolivia Huang Yazhong.

Arce acknowledged Sinopharm's efforts to supply Bolivia with vaccines as early as this month.

That would not have been possible if the Bolivian government did not have the "best relations" with the Chinese government, said Arce, adding the vaccine was one of the "safest" due to its high technology.

China's COVID-19 vaccines would pull Hungary ahead of the EU: PM

Thanks to China's COVID-19 vaccines, Hungary will be able to vaccinate millions of more people by the end of May than other European countries of similar size, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a radio interview on Friday.

"If we start using the Chinese vaccine, which will happen soon, then by Easter, we can vaccinate every person who has registered so far," he said. "If we compare Hungary's vaccination plan with the European situation, then Hungary can vaccinate 3.5 million more people by the end of May than a European country of the same size and population. I think this is huge."

(With input from Xinhua)