The 2026 national meeting on medical system reform was held in Beijing on May 6. Liu Jinfeng, vice-minister of the National Health Commission (NHC) and director of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, attended the gathering and delivered a speech.

The meeting acknowledged the progress made in national medical system reform in 2025 through the earnest implementation of the decisions and arrangements made by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council as well as coordination across various sectors.

It was noted at the meeting that in 2026, more emphasis should be placed on thoroughly implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee. It called for conducting education campaigns on establishing and practicing a correct understanding of governance performance, and fully executing key reform tasks of the year.

With focus on deepening public hospital reform oriented toward public welfare, the meeting highlighted strengthening the coordination of medical services, medical insurance and pharmaceuticals to promote tiered diagnosis and treatment systems. It also urged coordinated implementation of pilot programs and demonstration projects, adapting successful reform models from the city of Sanming, East China’s Fujian province, to local contexts to produce tangible results. These efforts aim to enhance the quality and efficiency of work on all fronts, laying a solid foundation for achieving decisive progress in building a Healthy China during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), according to the meeting.

The meeting was held via video link. Representatives from local authorities and medical institutions gave presentations. Leading officials from relevant departments under the central Party and State institutions, NHC departments and its directly affiliated institutions, as well as designated high-quality development pilot hospitals in Beijing, attended the meeting at the main venue in Beijing. Representatives from provincial-level health commissions and relevant municipal authorities participated at local venues.