Sun Zhigang, vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), met with Greek Health Minister Makis Voridis in Beijing on December 1. Both sides exchanged ideas about Sino-Greek health cooperation and attended the Sino-Greek health seminar.

Sun praised the Sino-Greek health cooperation and expressed his appreciation for Greece’s achievements in healthcare reform in 2012. He said that China shares similarities with Greece in carrying out healthcare reform and should learn from their experience. Voridis said that Greece has always paid great attention to cooperation with China, and it is willing to further cooperate with China in healthcare reform, traditional medicine, medical tours and essential drug policy.

Both sides attended the Sino-Greek health seminar and discussed the topics of healthcare reform, traditional medicine, primary healthcare, essential drug policy and medical insurance. Minister Voridis was invited by the NHFPC to visit China. During his visit, he attended the 11th World Family Summit and visited local community healthcare service institutions.

People in charge of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine; representatives of the NHFPC’s Department of Healthcare Reform, Department of International Cooperation and Bureau of Medical Administration; as well as the Greek ambassador to China attended the activity.