Chinese and US officials and health experts have called for deeper health cooperation between the two countries, saying that medicine and public health can serve as a durable platform to advance the shared goal of promoting human wellness.
Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said that for more than half a century, China and the United States have cooperated on a wide range of health-related topics, including health policy, emerging and known infectious diseases, chronic disease prevention and treatment, medical research and clinical care technology.
The two countries also worked closely to fight the Ebola outbreak and address global health challenges together, Ma said on Thursday during an event marking the 105th anniversary of Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing.
The event saw Chinese and US officials, medical scientists and workers pay tribute to the two countries' health exchanges through history.
"Health cooperation between China and the US has generated fruitful outcomes thanks to mutual efforts," Ma said.
He added that with the emergence of new global health challenges, China and the US are expected to further strengthen health dialogues and medical education exchanges, encourage visits among physicians, scholars and students, and deepen cooperation in areas such as infectious disease response and cancer management.
Peking Union Medical College Hospital, or PUMCH, was founded by the US-based Rockefeller Foundation through its division, the China Medical Board, in 1921 and is one of the most prestigious hospitals in China.
Zhang Shuyang, president of PUMCH, said that the hospital's development is closely intertwined with the US medical, health and science sector.
A number of US medical experts who practiced and taught at the hospital contributed to its growth through their outstanding work, while their experiences here also became a highlight of their careers, she said.
She cited Oswald Hope Robertson, an English-born US medical scientist who established the world's first blood bank during World War I, as an example. Robertson worked at the hospital as its second director of internal medicine, established pneumonia as a research focus and continued to pursue the field with dedication after returning to the US.
She added that after the establishment of China-US diplomatic relations in the 1970s, the first nongovernmental academic group to visit the US from China was a medical delegation.
"Today, the hospital maintains regular communication with more than 20 leading medical institutions or large companies in the US, recording over 300 mutual visits annually," she said.
Zhang stressed that the hospital welcomes US experts, scholars and young people to visit and connect with Chinese medical workers, and will strengthen efforts to advance clinical collaboration and the translation of joint research results.
At Thursday's event, PUMCH and the China Medical Board signed a third five-year cooperation memorandum.
Roger Glass, president of the China Medical Board, said the hospital's development is a living testament to the enduring value of people-to-people friendship and academic exchanges between the two countries.
He said the partnership between the two institutions is founded on shared commitments, scientific rigor, professional excellence, service to society and investment in the future generation of health and medicine.
"Through further partnerships, we aim to support the hospital's continued growth and to establish a mechanism for academic exchange between the US and China," Glass said. He added that the renewed partnership comes at a time when sustained and constructive communication between the US and China is especially important.
"Medicine, health and education provide a uniquely durable platform for dialogue and cooperation," he said.
As collaboration brings together educators, researchers and institutional leaders from both countries "through a shared professional language and a common evidence-based approach to problem solving", Glass expressed hope for accelerating the development of disease prevention strategies and cures, and extending healthy longevity together.
David Perdue, US ambassador to China, said the two countries have an opportunity to collaborate on shared health challenges including the rising burden of chronic disease and care for aging populations.
He said the development of PUMCH is a shining example of what can be achieved when China and the US cooperate and strive together for the goal of improving healthcare in the world.
Perdue noted that China has emerged as a competitor in biological and pharmaceutical innovation, a field where the US has long been in a world-leading position. However, competition and cooperation are never mutually exclusive.
编辑：Zhou Jinmiao
