XI'AN -- Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong on Monday called on the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to enhance cooperation in the health sector.

He made the remarks during his address at the opening ceremony of the eighth SCO Health Ministers' Meeting in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Noting that the health sector is an important area for SCO cooperation, Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the vision of building an SCO community of health, put forward by the Chinese head of state, has offered important guidelines for member states to deepen practical cooperation in the field.

Fruitful results have been achieved in jointly safeguarding public health security, deepening exchanges on disease prevention and control technologies, advancing medical science and technology cooperation, and promoting the preservation, innovation and development of traditional medicine, according to Liu.

He emphasized that relevant parties should focus on practical cooperation to jointly promote the development of the health sector and drive progress in medical science and technology through openness and innovation. He added that strengthening people-to-people exchanges and upholding multilateralism are also essential.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivered a video address while SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev gave a speech at the opening ceremony.

Liu met with key international representatives ahead of the opening ceremony.