Cao Xuetao (R), vice-minister of China’s National Health Commission, meets with Cambodian Health Minister Chheang Ra on Oct 17. [Photo/nhc.gov.cn]

Cao Xuetao (R), vice-minister of China’s National Health Commission, meets with Laotian Health Minister Bounfeng Phoummalaysith on Oct 17. [Photo/nhc.gov.cn]

Cao Xuetao, vice-minister of China’s National Health Commission (NHC), separately met with Cambodian Health Minister Chheang Ra and Laotian Health Minister Bounfeng Phoummalaysith on Oct 17, to exchange views on deepening cooperation  in the field of health.

Cao said that China-Cambodia health collaboration enjoys a sound foundation and the two countries have achieved fruitful results through various practical cooperation in such fields as maternal and child health, medical services and traditional medicine. He noted that China and Laos have a traditional friendship and have carried out technical and policy exchanges and cooperation in the development of health human resources and in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

China is willing to further expand health cooperation with Cambodia and Laos in the fields of health system construction, the prevention and control of infectious and chronic diseases, as well as talent training, in a bid to enhance people-to-people exchanges, improve the health and well-being of people in all countries and promote the building of a global health community for all, he added.

Chheang Ra and Bounfeng Phoummalaysith thanked China for its long-term support in the field of health, especially during the fight against COVID-19. They both spoke highly of their respective health collaborations with China, and expressed their hope to continue advancing a close cooperation with China to better improve the health and well-being of the people of all parties.