1. To further deepen and innovate on The Belt and Road health exchange and cooperation, to build the Health Silk Road and to drive forward the mutual development of relevant countries’ health service, and to implement health-related consensus in the Joint Communiqué of The Belt and Road International Cooperation Forum Roundtable Summit, Health Ministers and senior officials from the health sector in China and other participating countries, as well as representatives from World Health Organization (WHO), The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and Global Fund attended the Belt and Road High Level Meeting on Health Cooperation towards Health Silk Road in Beijing, China on August 18th 2017.

Cooperation Background

2. Recalling that China has established a solid foundation of cooperation between the relevant Belt and Road countries, bilateral cooperation has made great progress and formed strong relations of common interests and profound friendship;

3. Recognizing that exchange and cooperation in health is an important component of The Belt and Road Initiative and plays a vital role in the development of relations between China and Belt and Road related countries, enriching bilateral and multilateral cooperation, deepening the friendship between people and constructing a closer community of common destiny;

4. We acknowledge that health is the core of development, a prerequisite and result of development, and an effective index in the measurement of sustainable development. The development and maintenance of the vitality of Belt and Road countries’ national health systems and pushing forward the health cooperation between Belt and Road countries is not only conducive to improving people's health, but will also contribute to promoting economic development;

5. We have observed that, economic globalization, urbanization and the aging of the population have brought continuous health challenges with an increasing burden of disease. The uncertainty of the global economy has had a huge impact on universal health coverage, and the way to strengthen the health system is arduous and long. Health investments have far-reaching implications for reducing poverty, spurring economic development and promoting global security.  Prioritizing health development and safe-guarding health funding should be our collective call.  To achieve universal outreach and impact our populations, countries need to formally incorporate training, remuneration and integration of Community Health workers into national health systems;

6. We emphasize that the threat posed by infectious diseases cannot be ignored. The West African Ebola hemorrhagic fever epidemic, Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak and the Zika virus epidemic sounded the alarms to governments of the world over and over again. Emerging and reemerging infectious disease outbreaks become a potential major public security issue to the Belt and Road countries and their significant impact on the health of citizens and social economic development have call for great attention from the governments.

7. We note that maternal and child as well as broader reproductive health is critical to the harmony of the family and the sustainable development of society. It is of great importance to enhance the sustainable development of society by improving maternal, and child and broader reproductive health in Belt and Road countries.

8. We recognize that the application of traditional medicine has a long history in the Belt and Road countries. It is an important carrier of fine traditional culture and a key part of our health care. It has played an important role in promoting mutual learning among civilizations and maintaining people's health which should be further institutionalised and strengthened..

9. We recognize that carrying out all-round, multi-level and high-standard research and development in medical science and technology can greatly promote the innovation and translation of medical research. We also commit to work together to establish The Belt and Road Health Policy Research Network and to achieve the health-related goals in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). Strengthening medical science and technology development and health industry cooperation will help to meet the multi-level, diversified needs in health, and improve national health quality.

Cooperation Objectives

10. We maintain to strengthen the Belt and Road Health Cooperation Initiative, establish closer partnerships, and promote North-South cooperation, South-South cooperation and tri-partite cooperation.

11. We are committed to expanding health and related people-to-people exchanges, safeguarding health security, promoting health development, strengthening cooperation on health related innovation to improve people's health and well-being, enhancing social cohesion and inclusiveness.

12. We encourage governments, international and regional organizations, the private sector, civil societies and the general public to participate in such cooperation to build solid friendships, mutual understanding and trust.

Cooperation Principles

13. We uphold the spirit of peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, transparency, equality, mutual learning, mutual benefit and mutual respect in strengthening cooperation on the basis of extensive consultation, joint efforts, shared benefits, the rule of law and equal opportunities for all.

Cooperation Measures

14. We adopt an open attitude, based on the principles of exchange, mutual learning and mutual benefits, to reach the following consensuses:

 (1) Work together to establish The Belt and Road Health Policy Research Network and achieve the health-related goals in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

 (2) Push forward the Belt and Road nations in the monitoring, prevention and control, and response to major infectious diseases, in the coordination and cooperation in public health emergency response, and in strengthening the core capabilities as required in “International Health Regulations (2005)” and in the establishment of Belt and Road Public Health Cooperation Network so as to jointly meet the challenges;

(3) China will implement maternal and child and reproductive health projects in the Belt and Road nations, promote appropriate technology in Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, enhance the national maternal and child healthcare and treatment service capabilities to improve the national health level of women and children;

(4) Strengthen the interaction of health human resources. Attach importance to the exchange of personnel, through the exchange of health and medical experts, organizing various health professional and technical training courses and seminars to enhance the exchange of experience and personnel training.

 (5) Support the “2014 - 2023 Traditional Medicine Strategy” published by the WHO in 2013 as well as the Resolutions on traditional medicine approved by the 62nd and 67th World Health Assembly. Deepen the exchanges and cooperation between China and Belt and Road nations’ governmental departments and non-governmental organizations. Promote policies, knowledge, technology, R & D and personnel exchange according to the laws and regulations on traditional medicine of the various countries;

 (6) Encourage cooperation between medical research institutions, establish Belt and Road Hospital Alliance, and carry out joint research to make technological breakthrough in the fields of advanced medical technology, major disease prevention and control, vaccine research and development and clinical research;

 (7) Form Belt and Road Health Industry Sustainable Development Alliance to support the development of health services trade, medical and health care tourism and explore the cooperation on Belt and Road nations' mutual recognition on drug and device access standards;

(8) China will continue to dispatch foreign aid medical team to Belt and Road nations, carry out appropriate hospital cooperation, through the “Brightness Journey of Free Cataract Surgeries” and “Journey of Smile---Free Cleft-palate Surgeries”, etc. short-term clinics, medicines and medical device donations to provide health aid to Belt and Road countries;

 (9) Strengthen communication and coordination for China and Belt and Road countries in international organizations such as the WHO and UNAIDS, and support the WHO in playing an important role in global health governance and its reform process. China will continue to support WHO, UNAIDS, the Global Fund and GAVI to implement their work in related fields.

Our Vision for the Future

15. Our joint endeavor on the Belt and Road health cooperation, forging a Health Silk Road will provide new opportunities and impetus for international cooperation, serve as a model for other cooperation platforms such as BRICS and the G20，and help to promote an open and inclusive globalization that is beneficial to all.

16. We reiterate that promoting peace and mutually beneficial cooperation is our common responsibility; improving the people’s health quality is our common goal; creating a community with a shared health future for mankind is our common aspiration.

17.  We congratulate China on successfully hosting the Belt and Road High Level Meeting on Health Cooperation towards Health Silk Road, and wish Belt and Road health cooperation make greater achievements and success.