WASHINGTON — The deepening of China-US cooperation on health issues not only benefits the two peoples, but carries global significance, visiting Vice-Premier Liu Yandong said on Sept 27.

Speaking at the China-US Workshop on Health Cooperation held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, Liu noted that since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States, health cooperation has been continuously deepened and yielded fruitful results, benefiting not only the two peoples, but also the rest of the world.

Liu said that the Chinese Dream is filled with the Chinese people’s yearning for a better life, and a higher standard of medical and health services is an important part of it.

The vice-premier put forward four proposals on strengthening China-US health cooperation in the future.

First, the level of institutionalization of health exchanges and cooperation should be improved. China and the United States can set up a ministerial-level meeting mechanism to promote the establishment of various forms of exchanges and cooperation at all levels.

Second, the two countries should join hands to tackle global health challenges. They should strengthen communication and coordination in terms of global health agenda setting, progress monitoring and development assistance in the World Health Organization and other international mechanisms, and jointly support the construction of disease control and prevention centers in Africa.

Thirdly, innovative medical cooperation should be upgraded. The two countries should focus on public health needs, push for cutting-edge technologies, and strive to achieve breakthroughs in the prevention and early treatment of chronic noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and tumors, as well as infectious diseases.

Fourthly, people-to-people exchanges on health issues should be deepened. The two sides should further boost joint cultivation of talents at all levels and in a wide range of fields, and promote medical exchanges and the discussion of health polices.

Also on Sept 27, the two countries signed a letter of intent on establishing a mechanism of annual high-level meetings between China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Liu will co-chair a social and people-to-people dialogue with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington on Sept 28 to discuss bilateral exchanges and cooperation in relevant areas. The dialogue is one of the four high-level dialogue mechanisms established during a meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in April.