Ma Xiaowei, minister of the National Health Commission (NHC), attended a national conference on foreign-related health work held in Beijing on Apr 11.

The foreign-related health work in 2018 contributed to China's diplomacy and the country's overall health plan, and China has been active in the global health governance in the past year with fruitful results, Ma said at the meeting.

He urged that health authorities around the country should implement the decisions made on the national health work meeting, promote the construction of a Health Silk Road, deeply involve in the global health governance, and implement China-Africa health initiatives.

The health authorities nationwide should work to promote the cross-Straits health exchange, as well as exchange with Hong Kong and Macao, according to Ma.

In his speech, he stressed to strengthen the management of foreign affairs regarding health and cultivation of health talents capable of global health work, so as to serve the national and international health work and to promote the health work onto a higher stage in the new era.

The foreign health aid programs and related international cooperation arising from the Belt and Road Initiative were introduced by representatives from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the China International Development Cooperation Agency at the meeting.