Ma Xiaowei, minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC), speaks at the G20 Finance and Health Ministers Meeting on Sept 17. [Photo/nhc.gov.cn]

Ma Xiaowei, minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC), attended and addressed the G20 Finance and Health Ministers Meeting via video link on Sept 17. More than 100 participants, including finance and health ministers of G20 members and guest countries and heads of international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, joined the virtual meeting.

Ma said that that the world is still at a critical moment for pandemic prevention and control. Countries should work to build a strong health system, support the WHO's leading and coordinating role in response to global public health emergencies, actively push forward international collaboration, provide assistance to developing countries in the fight against the virus and support the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) so as to build a global community of health for all.

Ministers and heads of international organizations spoke on strengthening pandemic prevention and response. They called on all countries to make every effort to cope with the pandemic and promote economic recovery, and increase input in the health system to promote healthy lives for all. Meanwhile, they urged the international community to intensify cooperation and solidarity and support the WHO. 

The meeting adopted a joint statement of the G20 Finance and Health Ministers.

NHC Vice-minister Li Bin attended the G20 Finance and Health Deputies Meeting on Sept 14 to discuss the joint statement of the meeting on Sept 17.