Second global health forum closes in Qingdao

The second Conference of Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia closes on June 4. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

The second Conference of Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia came to an end on June 4 in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province.

Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, president of the Global Health Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia and former director-general of the World Health Organization, declared the conference a successful conclusion during a news conference.

"Global health has become the most important topic for all mankind and a priority for sustainable development. It is not easy to hold such a large conference against the backdrop of COVID-19, reflecting the importance of health issues to all sectors of the world," said Chan.

"The third session of the forum will contribute to the building of a health community for all mankind and the realization of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals," she said.

Supported by the Boao Forum for Asia and the Shandong Provincial People's Government, the four-day event was held both online and offline, attracting over 2,880 participants from 40 countries and regions. It included an opening ceremony, two general meetings, 33 sub-forums, and 15 key activities.

Agreements for a total of 22 health sector projects worth 17.17 billion yuan ($2.69 billion) were signed during the conference. Involving high-end medical treatment, smart medical treatment, biomedicine, medical devices, health tourism, and other fields, the projects are expected to inject new vitality into Qingdao's health care and medical industries, said local authorities.

In addition, the China Association of Medical Equipment has reached strategic cooperation with the Qingdao National High-tech Industrial Development Zone. Over the next five years, the association’s conferences and forums, as well as the innovation industry transformation platform of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, will be launched in Qingdao.

The two sides will strengthen cooperation in an effort to form a technology-led, capital-assisted, enterprise-driven, and platform-supported development ecosystem to drive the high-quality development of Qingdao's medical care and health industries and promote the upgrading of Qingdao's medical equipment industry.

More than 40,000 people visited the second Global Health Expo of the Boao Forum for Asia, during which 176 well-known enterprises and organizations from home and abroad exhibited cutting-edge technologies and achievements in the fields of internet medical treatment, medical equipment, and traditional Chinese medicine.