Ma Xiaowei, minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC), speaks at the conference with French Health Minister Olivier Veran via video link on April 29. [Photo/nhc.gov.cn]

Ma Xiaowei, minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC), talked with French Health Minister Olivier Veran via video link on April 29 to exchange views on further deepening health collaboration, including in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ma said that China-France cooperation in combating the pandemic has achieved remarkable results, adding that China is willing to continue to strengthen institutionalized dialogue and collaboration with France, deepen practical exchanges between related institutions and comprehensively promote communication and collaboration on regional and multilateral platforms in order to jointly maintain global health security and contribute to the building of a global health community for all.

Veran spoke highly of the long-term good health cooperation between the two countries and expressed willingness to continue to enhance health collaboration in various fields such as anti-pandemic fight and hospital management and improve bilateral coordination and exchanges under multilateral frameworks including the World Health Organization to safeguard the health of the people of the two countries and the world.

Officials from the NHC and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention participated in the videoconference.