Cao Xuetao, head of the Chinese delegation and vice-minister of China’s National Health Commission, meets with World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the sidelines of the 77th World Health Assembly. [Photo/nhc.gov.cn]

From May 26 to 29,  Cao Xuetao, head of the Chinese delegation and vice-minister of China's National Health Commission, met with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, other WHO senior officials, as well as health ministers of Botswana, Italy, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Ethiopia, and Turkiye, on the sidelines of the 77th World Health Assembly. He also attended a BRICS health ministers' luncheon.

Cao said China is willing to actively promote high-level mutual visits and policy dialogue between health departments of relevant countries and advance practical cooperation between related institutions. China attaches great importance to the role of the WHO in global health governance and is ready to work with the WHO and relevant countries to accelerate the building of a global community of health for all, he noted.

The WHO officials and health ministers highly praised China's achievements in health undertakings and expressed willingness to deepen cooperation with China in key areas. Relevant countries also said that they hope to enhance collaboration with China on multilateral platforms such as the WHO.

Cao signed the Implementation Plan for China-Italy Health Cooperation 2024-2026, the Memorandum of Understanding on China-Oman Health Cooperation, and the Agreement on Health and Medical Cooperation between China and Turkiye, respectively, with health officials of the three countries.