The Chinese delegation to the 78th World Health Assembly, set to convene on Monday in Geneva, has vowed to promote international health cooperation and actively contribute to discussions on a wide range of priorities, including an agreement on pandemics.
The delegation, led by Lei Haichao, head of China's National Health Commission, introduced their involvement in the gathering at a news briefing on Saturday in Geneva.
Lei briefed on China's main tasks and achievements in the past years since the Healthy China 2030 blueprint was unveiled in 2016 to achieve health targets aligned with the United Nations' sustainable development goals.
He said China actively advocates and practices the three major initiatives of global development, security and civilization, and is deeply involved in global health governance, contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to promoting the building of a global community of health for all.
China firmly supports the World Health Organization in playing a central role in coordinating global public health governance, he said.
This year's assembly, themed "One World for Health," runs through May 27. It will address about 75 items and sub-items, covering topics including health emergency preparedness and response, financing and budgeting, World Health Organization governance reform, and other pressing global health issues.
A key highlight will be the consideration of adopting the pandemic agreement -- a document outlining how to better tackle future pandemics in a more well-organized and equitable manner -- which WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus describes as "truly historic."
The final draft of the treaty was released last month following three years of talks among WHO member states. Notable elements include the rapid sharing of data about new diseases, the allocation of medical resources to the WHO in the event of a future outbreak, and the transfer of health technologies to poorer nations, the BBC reported.
At the news briefing, Xia Gang, deputy director of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, said China welcomes consensus among all parties on the draft agreement.
Xia said he believes the pact will help promote the equitable distribution of technology, funding, and resources and support developing countries in strengthening their capacity to detect and respond to pandemics.
He said that China has always been a staunch supporter and practitioner of multilateralism and an active participant in global public health governance. China's constructive participation in the negotiations of the pandemic treaty is a prime example of this commitment, he added.
In addition to engaging in the main event, the Chinese delegation will host three side events during the assembly, focusing on the digital and intelligent empowerment of primary healthcare, traditional medicine, and mental health.
The World Health Assembly is the WHO's decision-making body. Attended by delegations from all 194 WHO member states, it brings together high-level country representatives and other stakeholders to address global health challenges.
China vows to back global health efforts
China vows to back global health efforts
China vows to back global health efforts
