KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Sin Chew Daily) — The latest batch of COVID-19 vaccine donated by China will be arriving in Kuala Lumpur soon, says Ouyang Yujing, the Ambassador of China to Malaysia.

The first batch of Sinovac vaccine produced in China arrived on February 27 to facilitate the national immunization program.

Stressing the importance of the friendship between China and Malaysia, Ouyang said he personally handed over the vaccine to then senior defense minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“Since then China has contributed a total of 36 million doses of vaccine comprising Sinovac, CanSino and Sinopharm in several shipments to Malaysia, offering China’s support to Malaysia in its battle against the pandemic,” he said at the 72nd anniversary celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, he said the people and governments of China and Malaysia had worked together in battling the virus.

The ambassador also revealed that based on statistics from China, bilateral trade between the two countries during the first half of this year reached US$81.79 billion, achieving the year-on-year growth of 43.9%.

Foreign direct investments (non-financial category) from China reached US$800 million and the year-on-year growth rate was 76.3%.

Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said Malaysia was grateful to China for donating COVID-19 vaccines to the country.

He said Malaysia and China are friends supporting each other during difficult times.

“I am glad that bilateral ties between China and Malaysia are stronger through mutual support,” he said.

Saifuddin also said Malaysia sees China as an important neighbor and partner in the Asean and Asia region.