The 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) kicked off on Friday in Germany against the backdrop of deepening transatlantic tensions and an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.
Policymakers from around the world gathered at the MSC to discuss regional and global security and international order as the U.S. punitive tariffs on major trading partners remain in force, disputes over European defense arrangements persist, and renewed frictions over Greenland are increasing strains within the transatlantic alliance.
In his opening address, MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger said the conference is taking place at a time of "growing insecurity," with more simultaneous conflicts and crises than at any point in the event's more than 60-year history.
"The transatlantic relationship in particular finds itself at an inflection point," Ischinger said, calling it an "unprecedented challenge" and questioning whether the United States still views European allies as partners.
Echoing these concerns, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that a "divide" has opened up between Europe and the United States, noting that U.S. Vice President JD Vance already made the point openly at last year's MSC.
"The transatlantic partnership is no longer something we can just take for granted," Merz warned.
Published ahead of the MSC, the conference's annual report warned of a weakening of international institutions and said the "recalibration" of U.S. foreign policy has triggered dynamics whose full consequences are only now beginning to emerge.
This year's three-day event is expected to draw around 60 heads of state and government, alongside around 100 foreign and defense ministers. Key topics include the future of the transatlantic relationship, multilateralism, global order, and regional conflicts and crises.
Munich Security Conference kicks off with transatlantic rifts in focus
Munich Security Conference kicks off with transatlantic rifts in focus
South China's Guangdong Province is accelerating its transformation into an international medical tourism hub, positioning itself as a destination for patients worldwide seeking affordable, high-quality care.
The push follows a joint initiative announced in late March by nine Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at boosting spending by foreign tourists and enhancing exports of tourism services as part of broader efforts to expand the country's service sector.
Every day, some of the most complex surgeries are performed here. Li Zilun, deputy director of the division of vascular surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, is among the doctors capable of carrying out these intricate procedures.
He recently completed surgery on a patient with an aortic aneurysm, a condition often described as a "time bomb" in the body’s main artery, increasingly common in aging societies around the globe. Li also specializes in highly difficult and pioneering procedures, including repairing leaks caused by failed grafts.
"This was a very challenging case. And then, we implanted the covered stent to eliminate the endoleak. Actually, the outcome was pretty good. The patient will be discharged today," said Li Zilun.
The ability to handle such complex cases -- combining international techniques with domestically produced devices -- is drawing patients from around the world to seek treatment. In addition, high safety standards and low costs are also major draws.
"Our government is encouraging innovation. So, lots of physicians -- including our vascular surgeons -- we are actively involved in the innovation that helps to increase the effectiveness and safety, and also bring down the cost," said Li.
This hospital is one of the first in Guangdong to be designated by the provincial health commission as a pilot site for building an international medical service hub.
The growing number of patients has pushed the hospital to explore new ways to transform every step -- from treatment to payment and everything in between -- into a seamless experience, reducing waiting times and delivering better care for patients.
"I think it's fast. When the patient come here for just about, I think, one week, you can solve the problem," said Xiao Haipeng, president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.
The hospital is also deepening its international cooperation with top-tier medical institutions, including those at Harvard University.
"Not just for China, for the whole globe, we are facing health care challenges -- emerging infectious disease and chronic, lung infectious diseases, and also the aging population, also the shortage of healthcare workforce," said Xiao.
In response to these challenges, China is promoting its own solutions, including aggressive innovation in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven workflows, while stepping up research and development investment and global engagement along the way.
"In recent years, the innovation in Western medicine is dramatically growing. An example of my hospital -- in the past few years, we have 140 innovations and seven of them are international leading innovations," said Xiao.
As global demand for medical tourism grows, China is positioning itself as a new destination. Official data shows that the number of foreign patients in Guangdong increased by 20 percent last year. Among them, the growth in inpatient admissions was even faster, rising by 76 percent.
Guangdong fast-tracks pilot for int'l medical service hub
