Lei Haichao, minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC), met with a delegation led by Alexandre Mérieux, chairman of the Board of Directors of BioMérieux, a French company committed to biological research and clinical diagnostics, in Beijing on Nov 21.

Lei introduced the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee at the meeting. He noted the plenum made a systematic plan for deepening medical reform, including implementing a health-first strategy, building a hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system and guiding the standardized development of private hospitals, which will create more opportunities for foreign pharmaceutical companies to explore the Chinese market.

Based on the fruitful bilateral cooperation in medical research, disease prevention and control, and personnel training, China is willing to work together with France to further deepen health exchanges and cooperation and promote the building of a global community of health for all, he said.

He also expressed hope that BioMérieux will continue to play an active role in the high-quality development of China's health sector and health exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

Mérieux spoke highly of China's achievements in reform and opening-up as well as the development in the health sector. Noting that the Mérieux family has a long-standing friendship with China, he said BioMérieux attaches great importance to development opportunities in China and is ready to become a partner in the development of China's health sector to further enhance cooperation in pathogenic microorganism diagnosis and antimicrobial resistance.

Officials of related NHC departments and representatives of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences were present at the meeting.