A vial labelled "Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine" is seen in this illustration taken January 16, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

German health minister Karl Lauterbach has granted a permit allowing China's Sinovac (SVA.O) COVID-19 vaccine to be imported to Germany from Wednesday, but it will only be given to Chinese citizens in that country, the Spiegel magazine reported.

The move comes after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced in November an agreement to let expatriates in China use the COVID-19 vaccine from Germany's BioNTech (22UAy.DE).