Manila, Mar 2 (IANS): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has thanked China for donating a batch of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine, CoronaVac.

"From the bottom of my heart and with immense gratitude, I thank you, the Chinese people and government, for being so generous," Duterte said during a televised public address on Monday night.

The President said receiving the vaccines from China was another step forward in the Philippines' ongoing fight against the pandemic.

"I convey my sincere gratitude to the Chinese people and the government of China for this gesture of friendship and solidarity, the hallmark of the Philippines-China partnership," he said in the speech.

A batch of the Sinovac vaccines donated by China arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, the first Covid-19 jab to reach the Southeast Asian country, reports Xinhua news agency.

Duterte went to the airport to witness the arrival of the vaccines.

The Philippines launched its coronavirus vaccination drive on Monday morning, less than a day after the arrival of the Chinese vaccines.

The Philippines has confirmed 578,381 Covid-19 cases, with 12,322 deaths.