Li Bin, minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), met Professor Robert Friedlander, director of neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh, in Beijing on August 19. Both sides exchanged ideas about cooperation between medical institutions.

“China is carrying out medical and healthcare reform to improve its people’s health,” Li said. She added that China has a large population and limited resources, bringing the same challenges as America in population aging and disease spectrum changing. The two nations’ cooperation in health is helpful for coping with challenges and improving people’s health. Li said that the NHFPC encourages both countries’ medical institutions, academic institutions, hospitals and universities to cooperate in many fields. The medical college at University of Pittsburgh has strong cooperation with China in education and health. Li wished for both sides to strengthen cooperation in clinical and scientific research.

Professor Robert Friedlander agreed with Lis and introduced the preliminary plan for cooperation between the University of Pittsburgh and Chinese medical institutions. Officials from NHFPC’s Department of International Cooperation and Peking Union Medical College Hospital attended the meeting.