BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- China attaches great importance to Nepal's urgent need of COVID-19 vaccines and has decided to provide the first batch of vaccine aid for Nepal, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday.

Wang made the remarks during a phone conversation with Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Wang said, China and Nepal have helped each other, strived to work together to defeat the virus, and carried out sound cooperation in the anti-virus fight.

China has been earnestly fulfilling President Xi Jinping's commitment to making Chinese COVID-19 vaccines a global public good, and is willing to facilitate the purchase of vaccines for Nepal, he added.

Gyawali, for his part, said that the Nepali government and people are grateful for China's timely and valuable vaccine aid, and stand ready to continue to deepen anti-epidemic cooperation with China.