China has launched a digital health certificate program for travelers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19, Deutsche Welle reports.

The "vaccine passport" will show a user's current vaccination status, as well as recent Covid test results, and is available with immediate effect via Chinese social media platform WeChat.

The certificate is being distributed in order "to promote world economic recovery and facilitate cross-border travel," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

The international health certificate is currently only available to Chinese citizens. The travel identification, which is also available in paper form, is thought to be the world's first "virus passport."

The United States and Britain are among countries currently considering issuing similar permits, while the European Union is also working on a vaccine "green pass."