Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wave as they stand for photos in Hanoi, Vietnam on Saturday, Sep.11, 2021. China has pledged to donate 3 million doses of its vaccine to Vietnam as Foreign Minsiter Wang Yi closed his visit to Hanoi. (Duong Van Giang/VNA via AP)

China plans to donate 3 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine to Vietnam, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday as he wrapped up a visit to Hanoi.

Yi’s pledge comes amid a virus lockdown in Vietnam to contain a COVID-19 surge. About 23 million Vietnamese students started a new school year earlier this week, most of them in virtual classrooms.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Yi and Chinh co-chaired the 13th meeting of the Steering Committee for China-Vietnam Bilateral Cooperation.

During the visit, Wang also held talks with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and met with Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.