SANTO DOMINGO -- The Dominican Republic received a shipment of vaccines developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac on Tuesday night, authorities said.

The cargo was received at the airport in the capital by an official delegation headed by the country's Vice President Raquel Pena.

"The arrival of this important batch of vaccines against COVID-19 will strengthen the already started national vaccination plan, and thus bring peace, hope and tranquility to the Dominican family," said Pena.

"We hope that these efforts can help the country to finally defeat the virus and that all of us, China, the Dominican Republic and the countries of the world begin to build a health community," Chinese Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Zhang Run said.