Recently, the 3rd Conference of Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia was held in Beijing. Yin Li, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, and Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Other attendees included Chen Zhu, President of the Red Cross Society of China; Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing; and Bi Jingquan, Vice Chairman of the Economic Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE).

Yin Li began his speech by warmly welcoming all the guests, stating that health is an enduring pursuit of humanity and the foundation upon which civilizations continue to thrive. President Xi Jinping has pointed out that health for all is the common vision of all mankind. The Chinese government has all along seen the people’s health as a strategic priority, and is committed to advancing the Healthy China Initiative. Beijing, as the capital city, has leveraged its abundant resources in education, science, technology, and talent. Guided by a holistic approach to health and healthcare, the city has improved its three-tiered healthcare system at the city, district, and sub-district levels, while bolstering the medical and health industry, so as to ensure healthy lives, basic healthcare, and a healthy environment for all citizens. He also expressed Beijing’s readiness to work with all parties in four aspects. First, improve the public health system by innovating mechanisms to enhance collaboration and integration of disease prevention and control, optimizing the tiered medical system, and strengthening the prevention, control, and treatment of major diseases. Second, deliver quality health services to the public. The city will focus on healthcare for the elderly, children and women, and target common and prevalent diseases, in its efforts to deliver high-quality, holistic, and full-life-cycle health services for the whole society. Third, advance medical technology innovation. Beijing will strive for accelerated breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, speed up the growth of life sciences and other future industries, and foster a modern medical and health industry cluster with global influence. Fourth, participate in global health governance. Beijing will deepen international exchanges and cooperation and address health challenges facing the world today, contributing more wisdom and strength to the sustainable development of global health.

Ban Ki-moon emphasized that health is all-encompassing and concerns every individual. Faced with multiple global challenges such as public health emergencies and health divides, all countries and all sectors should collaborate closely and integrate health as a critical consideration into governmental decision-making. New technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and life sciences should be harnessed to improve healthcare and medicine supply, and enhance the speed and accuracy of disease diagnosis and screening. Efforts should be made to raise the public’s health awareness and literacy. Global collaboration should be strengthened to foster closer partnerships in the health sector and advance the health and well-being of people worldwide. Takemi Keizo, Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, expressed his hope for deeper exchanges and mutual learning among Asian countries in the medical and health sector, as well as for closer cooperation in areas such as infectious disease prevention and control, population aging and related epidemiological shifts, medical care techniques, and medicine R&D.

Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health of Singapore, highlighted in his address that aging is no longer just a healthcare issue. It affects almost every facet of society, and requires specific measures such as enhancing systems for lifelong learning and sustainable old-age support. He encouraged participants to engage in in-depth discussions and exchanges on population aging.

Zhang Jun, Secretary General of the BFA, delivered welcome remarks, and Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, President of Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia and Director-General Emeritus of the World Health Organization (WHO), presided over the opening ceremony.

The Global Health Forum has evolved into a crucial platform and bridge for high-level dialogues and pragmatic cooperation in the health sector. This year’s conference is co-hosted by the BFA and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, with the theme “Health Beyond Health - In the Year of Sustainable Development 2030”. The attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on three major topics: “Health in All Policies”, “Universal Health”, and “Innovation for Health”.

The opening ceremony was attended by members of the BFA board of directors and council of advisors, foreign dignitaries, heads of international organizations, and leaders of relevant central authorities and Beijing municipality.