The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) received on Sunday a joint Egyptian-Chinese gift of 500,000 doses of the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine that was manufactured by the Egyptian Holding Company for the Production of Vaccines (VACSERA) for the Gaza Strip.
The event was attended by Acting Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs Alaa Moussa, China’s Ambassador to Cairo Liao Liqiang, and PNA Consul Nidaa Barghouti.
The gift comes within the framework of the fruitful cooperation between Egypt and China in facing the outbreak of the coronavirus and combating its repercussions.
The two countries’ partnership culminated in the signing of two agreements in April 2021 between VACSERA and the Chinese bioproducts company Sinovac to manufacture the Chinese vaccine in Egypt.
The joint donation of the VACSERA-Sinovac vaccine is a confirmation of the Egypt and China’s commitment to their long-standing relations with Palestine.
This donation was first announced in the framework of talks held by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the latter’s visit to Egypt last July.
Egyptian-Chinese cooperation also entails the exchange of expertise in the manufacturing and development of vaccines as well as the enhancement of Egypt’s scientific and technical capabilities and related infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities.
This partnership also strengthens the Egyptian state’s efforts to establish a vaccine industry in the country and make it a regional centre for vaccine distribution, as per President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s directives.
