China-donated COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Tanzania's Zanzibar

A shipment of China-donated COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Zanzibar, Tanzania on July 31. 

Zanzibar's Minister of Trade and Industrial Development Omar Said Shaaban and Chinese Consul General in Zanzibar Zhang Zhisheng attended the handover ceremony of the vaccines at the airport.

Zhang said at the ceremony that the vaccine donation to Zanzibar embodies the profound traditional friendship between China and Zanzibar. The COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious challenge to mankind, and China will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Zanzibar in the fight against it. 

He said that China will continue to share its experience in the anti-pandemic fight and provide Zanzibar with help within its capacity. 

He also called on the international community to provide Africa with COVID-19 vaccine and opposed the practice of deliberately politicizing and spreading false information on the issues of virus origin tracing and vaccines.

On behalf of Zanzibar's government, Shaaban expressed gratitude to China. He said that the vaccine donated by China will not only play an important role in helping Zanzibar fight the pandemic, but also further consolidate the deep traditional friendship between China and Zanzibar.