Advancing Public Health and Building a Healthy China: Insights from Xi Jinping’s Building a Healthy China

The health of the people is a key indicator of socialist modernization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress (CPC), the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has adhered to the principles of prioritizing the people and valuing life above all else. It has placed the protection of public health at the forefront of its strategic agenda, advancing the construction of a “Healthy China” comprehensively. This effort has resulted in the establishment of the world’s largest healthcare system and a robust public health network that spans urban and rural areas, significantly improving the health of the Chinese people.

Recently, Building a Healthy China, authored by General Secretary Xi Jinping, was published. The book comprises 292 key remarks by General Secretary Xi, organized into ten thematic sections. Studying this work is of great significance for fostering the development of health and healthcare in China in the New Era, making continuous contributions to improving public health, and writing a new chapter in the building of a Healthy China.

I. Strengthening Party Leadership in Health and Healthcare to Fully Advance the Healthy China Initiative

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that public health is the foundation of social progress, a hallmark of national prosperity and strength, and a shared aspiration of all people. Building a Healthy China is a solemn commitment made by the CPC to the people. Party committees and governments at all levels must prioritize this critical initiative, assume their responsibilities, and focus on effective implementation. The first two sections of Building a Healthy China highlight General Secretary Xi Jinping’s profound insights into this important issue.

Ensuring the safety and health of the people is a fundamental responsibility of the Party in its governance of the nation. Health is both a prerequisite for the well-rounded development of individuals and a foundational condition for economic and social development. Throughout the historic journey of achieving the Two Centenary Goals, the advancement of health and healthcare has maintained a pivotal position, closely aligning with the country’s overall strategic priorities and providing critical support.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered a series of significant remarks on this topic, underscoring that safeguarding the safety and health of the people is a core mission of the Party and the state. He has emphasized that without universal health, a truly moderately prosperous society in all respects cannot be achieved. Public health is a fundamental component of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and a vital foundation for individuals to grow and lead fulfilling lives.

Building a Healthy China, Xi Jinping has underscored, fundamentally revolves around ensuring the health of the people. This endeavor is an essential aspect of fully building a modern socialist country. A healthy population contributes to greater composite national strength and sustainable development. Xi has also highlighted that public health is not only a livelihood issue but also a social and political one. The Party’s ability to deliver satisfactory health outcomes for the people represents a major test of its governance capacity.

Through sustained efforts, China has achieved remarkable improvements in public health. Since the 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has elevated public health to an even more prominent position. This includes convening the National Conference on Health and Healthcare, formulating the health policy framework for the New Era, and issuing the Healthy China 2030 blueprint, which clearly defines the overarching policies and action plans for constructing a Healthy China. The equity and accessibility of basic health services have steadily improved, alongside the overall health status of the population.

The health of the people is closely tied to the future of the Chinese nation. Party committees and governments at all levels must strengthen their sense of responsibility and urgency by prioritizing public health as a strategic focus. Efforts should center on promoting healthy lifestyles, optimizing healthcare services, improving health security systems, fostering healthy environments, and advancing the health industry. Guided by a problem-solving approach, they must shore up areas of weakness, accelerate progress, and strive to provide comprehensive, lifelong health protection for the people. These efforts will lay a solid foundation of health for realizing the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation.

Adhering to the path of health and healthcare development with Chinese characteristics

Through sustained and dedicated efforts, we have successfully established a path for health and healthcare development that aligns with China’s unique national conditions. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that health and healthcare are critical issues directly tied to the safety of every individual’s life and the happiness and well-being of countless families. This is a profoundly noble and uniquely significant undertaking. As we advance the construction of a Healthy China, we must steadfastly adhere to the path of health and healthcare development with Chinese characteristics.

Upholding the public welfare nature of basic medical and health services

As a Party committed to serving the people wholeheartedly and a socialist country run by the people, it is a fundamental principle that basic medical and health services must prioritize public welfare. No matter how society develops, we must resolutely uphold the public welfare nature of healthcare and reject any wholesale shift toward marketization or commercialization.

Enhancing the quality and standards of medical and health services

Basic medical and health services form the foundation and core of healthcare and must primarily be guaranteed by the government to ensure fair and equitable access for all citizens. The distinction between “basic” and “non-basic” services is dynamic and relative. As the economy grows, government capacity strengthens, and medical technologies advance, the scope of basic services can gradually expand, and service standards can be progressively raised.

At the same time, the development of basic medical and health services must be in harmony with China’s national conditions and stage of development. The primary focus should be on ensuring that the population has access to basic healthcare services rather than pursuing superficial equalization or uniformity.

Correctly handling the relationship between the government and the market and establishing a scientific boundary between them

In the realm of basic medical and health services, the government must play a leading role. This includes taking responsibility for planning, provision, management, and oversight while employing diverse mechanisms to ensure the delivery of basic healthcare services to the people. The government should also support foundational medical research and introduce appropriate competition mechanisms to encourage social organizations to establish non-profit medical institutions.

In the area of non-basic medical and health services, the market should play a more dynamic role. Social entities should be encouraged to provide diverse, differentiated, and personalized healthcare services to meet the varied needs of the population. At the same time, the government must strengthen regulatory oversight, enforce laws to combat illegal medical practices, and protect the health rights of all citizens.

Establishing health and healthcare policies for the New Era

Health and healthcare policies serve as overarching principles and must evolve to meet the health needs of the population during specific periods. These policies should address the most pressing issues and challenges in the development of health and healthcare services. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the health policies introduced by our Party have provided vital guidance for advancing the development of health and healthcare services at different stages.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has, based on an in-depth analysis of the broader trends in health and healthcare development, introduced a new health policy framework for the current era. This framework emphasizes: focusing on the grassroots, driving progress through reform and innovation, prioritizing prevention, integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine, embedding health considerations into all policies, and fostering shared responsibility and benefits among all citizens.

1.      Focusing on the grassroots: To address the need for integrated urban-rural regional development and urbanization, this approach shifts the focus from solely rural areas to encompass the entire grassroots level—both urban and rural—aiming to enhance the capacity of community-level institutions in disease prevention and treatment.

2.      Driving progress through reform and innovation: This calls for deepening reforms in the healthcare system and promoting theoretical, institutional, managerial, and technological innovation to drive progress in health and healthcare.

3.      Prioritizing prevention and integrating Chinese and western medicine: This reflects a commitment to proven practices that have long contributed to success in healthcare and seeks to further develop and refine these approaches.

4.      Embedding health considerations into all policies and fostering shared responsibility and benefits: Recognizing the widespread, social, and systemic nature of health determinants, this principle underscores the government’s responsibility to coordinate efforts while emphasizing the importance of public participation. It seeks to mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of society as a whole to promote health and healthcare.

At its core, this health and healthcare policy adheres to the people-centered development philosophy and remains firmly committed to serving the health needs of the people. This foundational principle must consistently guide the development of China’s health and healthcare undertakings.

Establishing a sound framework for unified leadership under Party committees and collaborative governance between Party and government bodies

Health issues are widespread and interconnected, with policies from sectors such as the economy, transportation, agriculture, education, housing, and employment significantly influencing public health outcomes. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that ensuring public health is a complex and systemic undertaking that requires sustained, long-term effort. All regions and departments must fully recognize the pivotal role of advancing the Healthy China initiative, establish a sound framework for unified leadership under Party committees and collaborative governance between Party and government bodies, and develop concrete implementation plans and measures aligned with the major decisions and directives of the Party Central Committee. It is crucial to build robust coordination mechanisms, adopt a problem-oriented approach, and implement strategies in a phased and systematic manner.

Public health must be prioritized as a core objective of economic and social policy. Practical, actionable, and well-integrated supporting policies should be developed. A comprehensive health impact assessment system should be established to systematically evaluate the effects of economic and social development plans, policies, and major projects on public health. In addition, a regular and ongoing supervision and evaluation mechanism must be instituted to strengthen accountability and incentive structures. Efforts should focus on enhancing the population health information service system by developing an interconnected platform for health data and advancing the application of health and medical big data.

Equally important is raising public awareness and guiding public opinion. A positive societal environment must be cultivated to inspire collective action toward advancing the Healthy China initiative. Legal thinking and approaches should be employed to drive this effort. The rule of law should be leveraged to enhance comprehensive supervision and enforcement in the health sector, establishing a centralized, unified, professional, and efficient regulatory system. This governance framework should integrate government oversight, industry self-regulation, and societal supervision, ensuring legal protections for the life and health of the people.

II. Ensuring That the People Come First and Life Matters Most and Prioritizing People’s Health as a Strategic Imperative

General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that life is humanity’s most valuable asset. The people come first, and life matters most. We are willing to protect people’s lives and health at any cost. Health is the cornerstone of everything—without it, all else becomes meaningless. The entire Party and society must fully embrace the principle that the people come first, and life matters most, placing the safety and health of the people as the highest priority and implementing a health-first development strategy. Comprehensive, life-long health services must be provided to meet the needs of the people. The third and fourth sections of Building a Healthy China compile key insights from General Secretary Xi Jinping on this topic.

 Ensuring a full-spectrum, life-cycle approach to protecting public health

As economic and social development progresses and living standards rise, people increasingly value quality of life and health security. Xi Jinping has stated that the most important measure of modernization is public health, as it forms the foundation of happiness and well-being. Economic growth must be accompanied by improvements in public health, as people’s sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security are all rooted in their health.

Guided by a people-centered development philosophy, efforts must be intensified to strengthen the health sector and provide quality health services to all. General Secretary Xi Jinping has highlighted that building a Healthy China requires not only the “small prescriptions” of medical and healthcare services but also the “big prescriptions” of coordinated societal action. A comprehensive and holistic approach to health must be adopted, shifting the focus from disease treatment to health promotion, and addressing life at every stage and health across its entirety.

Special attention must be given to key populations, including women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, migrant populations, and low-income groups. Maternal and child health must be bolstered by strengthening healthcare networks to ensure optimal outcomes. Integration of medical and eldercare services is necessary to provide comprehensive health services for the elderly, covering hospitalization during treatment phases, rehabilitation care during recovery, daily living support during stable periods, and hospice care The health of persons with disabilities must also be prioritized by improving social security systems and care services, with the goal of achieving “rehabilitation services for all.” For migrant populations, particularly those with stable urban employment, long-term residency, or those who are part of the younger generation of rural-to-urban migrants, tailored health services must be expanded to meet their unique needs.

Enhancing the policy framework and incentive mechanisms for fertility support

Population development is a critical issue tied to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that population matters are fundamental, long-term, and strategic challenges for China. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has adopted a strategic and forward-looking perspective on the nation’s long-term development. It has made significant decisions to gradually adjust and improve fertility policies, promoting the balanced and sustainable growth of the population.

To address population issues in the New Era, efforts must align with the strategic objectives of building a great country nation and revitalizing the Chinese nation. This requires refining the population development strategy, understanding, adapting to, and guiding demographic trends to improve the overall quality of the population. It is essential to maintain a moderate fertility rate and population size while accelerating the development of a modern workforce that is high-quality, adequately sized, optimally structured, and well-distributed. High-quality population development must serve as a cornerstone for Chinese modernization.

This endeavor should closely integrate population development with improving the quality of life for the people. It requires linking investments in infrastructure with investments in human capital and establishing a comprehensive population service system that spans all demographics and life stages. Policies related to marriage, childbirth, childcare, education, employment, healthcare, housing, and eldercare must be considered holistically to foster the well-rounded development of individuals and achieve shared prosperity for all.

To this end, the population support and service systems must be strengthened, fertility support policies and incentive mechanisms improved, and affordable and inclusive childcare services expanded. Additionally, cultivating a modern culture of marriage and childbearing is crucial, with targeted efforts to guide young people’s views on relationships, family, and parenthood. Collectively, these measures will help build a fertility-friendly society.

Implementing a national strategy to actively address population aging

Population aging is a global challenge, and effectively managing it is essential to China’s overall development and the well-being of its people. General Secretary Xi Jinping has noted that the happiness of a society depends, in large part, on the happiness of its elderly. Addressing population aging not only enhances the quality of life and dignity of senior citizens but also supports economic growth and social harmony.

This requires a coordinated approach that combines Party leadership, government guidance, social participation, and collective action. Efforts to address aging must align with broader economic and social development goals while meeting the growing needs of the elderly and addressing the challenges posed by an aging population.

Priority should be given to satisfying the material and cultural needs of the elderly while fostering a societal mindset that actively embraces aging. A culture of filial piety and respect for the elderly, reflecting both traditional values and contemporary realities, must be cultivated. Aging-related policies and systems should be refined to enhance their relevance, coordination, and comprehensiveness.

Key initiatives include advancing the eldercare services industry and developing the “silver economy” while creating opportunities for senior citizens to contribute actively to society. Mechanisms for eldercare work must be improved to foster a comprehensive framework for addressing aging. A supportive policy and social environment that integrates eldercare, respect for the elderly, and filial responsibility should be established to ensure that the elderly can live with dignity, purpose, and happiness.

III. Deepening Healthcare Structural Reform

To advance the vision of a Healthy China, it is essential to deepen healthcare structural reform and promote the coordinated development and governance of medical services, health insurance, and pharmaceuticals. Since the 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has adopted a comprehensive and strategic approach to addressing both long-standing and emerging challenges in the healthcare sector.

By adhering to Chinese solutions, the Party has tackled the reform of the healthcare system—an issue of global concern—by integrating it into the broader framework of comprehensive reforms. These efforts have been guided by clear objectives, well-defined strategies, effective measures, and significant achievements.

Sections 5, 7, and 9 of Building a Healthy China provide a detailed account of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s systematic planning on this critical issue.

Upholding the public welfare nature of basic medical and health services and optimizing the distribution of high-quality resources

Medical and healthcare services are directly tied to the health of the people. The government must fully implement its funding policies for public hospitals, prioritizing support for basic medical and health services. Efforts should focus on improving healthcare systems, expanding services, and enhancing quality, ensuring that the public has access to fair, comprehensive, and continuous healthcare services, including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and health promotion.

Reform of public hospitals should be deepened with public welfare as the guiding principle. Fairness and accessibility must serve as the foundation and starting point of these reforms. A new operational mechanism must be established to uphold public welfare, encourage active participation, and ensure sustainability. Strengthening the availability of inclusive public health technologies, promoting low-cost disease prevention and control methods, and advancing telemedicine technologies will help realize the equitable sharing of high-quality medical and healthcare resources.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of redirecting the focus of medical and healthcare efforts to the grassroots level and shifting resources to underserved areas. Establishing a “health gatekeeper” system is a fundamental solution to addressing the public’s demand for accessible and affordable healthcare. This system represents a significant transformation of the current healthcare service model, healthcare concepts, and medical service order. It is a foundational, long-term, and systemic institutional design. The key lies in adhering to the “Four Principles”: voluntary participation by residents, prioritizing initial diagnoses at the grassroots level, implementing policy guidance, and fostering innovative mechanisms.

General Secretary Xi has further stressed the importance of strengthening grassroots healthcare as a cornerstone of the Healthy China initiative. Grassroots healthcare, especially in impoverished, rural, and remote areas, remains the weakest link in the healthcare system. Therefore, efforts must be made to build and strengthen the medical and health workforce, particularly in rural and community settings, to improve grassroots healthcare services. Promoting the equalization of basic public services between urban and rural areas and enhancing grassroots capacity for disease prevention, treatment, and health management will ensure that the public has access to safe, effective, affordable, and convenient healthcare services. These efforts will address the challenges of expensive and difficult access to healthcare, particularly at the grassroots level.

Fostering the coordinated development and governance of healthcare, medical insurance, and pharmaceuticals

General Secretary Xi Jinping has highlighted the importance of integrating healthcare, medical insurance, and pharmaceuticals as a key objective in deepening healthcare reform. Efforts must focus on achieving breakthroughs in key areas, including the development of a tiered diagnosis and treatment system, modern hospital management systems, universal medical insurance, drug supply and security systems, and comprehensive regulatory frameworks. Accelerating the establishment of a tiered medical service system will help create a rational medical service order, where “minor illnesses are treated at the grassroots, major illnesses in hospitals, and rehabilitation returns to the grassroots.”

The modernization of hospital management must also progress, with measures to transform hospital management models and operations. This will significantly enhance the scientific, precise, and digital management of hospitals. Reforms in medical service pricing should be deepened to establish reasonable compensation mechanisms, stabilize price adjustment expectations, and ensure the sustainable development of public healthcare institutions. These reforms must also maintain an overall stable burden on the public and the affordability of the medical insurance fund. The overarching goal is to improve the quality and level of healthcare services provided to the people.

General Secretary Xi has emphasized that universal medical insurance is the foundation of China’s basic healthcare system. Efforts must be made to strengthen the construction of the universal medical insurance system, accelerate the integration of urban and rural medical insurance, and improve mechanisms for funding, benefit adjustments, payment systems, and administration. Institutional reforms should include regular and institutionalized centralized procurement of medicines with guaranteed quantities. Systems for medical insurance and assistance for major and critical illnesses must be strengthened, and reforms in the supervision of medical insurance funds should be deepened to safeguard the public’s “lifesaving funds.”

Advancing the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

TCM embodies the Chinese nation’s thousands of years of health preservation philosophy and practical experience. It is a remarkable achievement of Chinese civilization and a treasure of ancient science, offering a key to understanding China’s cultural heritage. Maintaining a balanced emphasis on both TCM and Western medicine, while promoting their complementary and coordinated development, represents a key strength of our country’s health and wellness initiatives.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of protecting, inheriting, and developing the legacy of TCM. By adhering to the principle of “using the past to serve the present,” efforts must focus on achieving the creative transformation and innovative development of TCM. By integrating TCM’s health preservation culture with modern health concepts, its benefits can better serve the health needs of the public.

The protection, rescue, and organization of ancient TCM texts, traditional knowledge, and diagnostic techniques must be strengthened. Efforts should also focus on preserving and innovating TCM practices by establishing service systems, operational models, management frameworks, and talent cultivation mechanisms tailored to the unique characteristics of TCM. The industrialization and modernization of TCM must be promoted, with particular emphasis on interpreting TCM principles through modern scientific methods. This will enable the integration and mutual advancement of TCM and modern science, fostering the complementary and coordinated development of TCM and Western medicine.

Harnessing the initiative of medical professionals to serve public health wholeheartedly

Boundless compassion and dedication define the noble spirit of medical professionals. Across the years, medical workers in China have upheld the Party’s call, embodying values of respecting life, saving lives, selflessness, and love. Their unwavering commitment has led to remarkable achievements in disease prevention, medical education, and scientific advancements.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that medical workers are the guardians of health and key contributors to healthcare development. Party committees, governments, and society must support them by promoting their exemplary deeds, enhancing training, fostering innovation, and addressing their challenges. A societal atmosphere that respects and values healthcare workers must be cultivated, enabling them to fulfill their mission with confidence and peace of mind.

Efforts should focus on improving salaries, career prospects, working conditions, and social status to inspire enthusiasm and creativity among healthcare professionals. Acts of violence against medical workers and medical disputes must be resolutely addressed to ensure their safety. In return, medical professionals should uphold ethical principles, practice compassion, and dedicate themselves to healing and serving humanity. They must strive to provide the public with efficient, high-quality healthcare services.

IV. Strengthening the Public Health System

General Secretary Xi Jinping has underscored that, for a nation of over 1.4 billion people, preventing and addressing public health risks is a vital responsibility. A prevention-first approach is essential to building a robust public health system and safeguarding people’s health, as highlighted in the sixth and eighth sections of his Building a Healthy China.

Prevention is the most economical and effective health strategy, reflected in the saying, “The best physicians treat illnesses before they arise.” General Secretary Xi has emphasized that controlling major diseases is critical to public health. The policy of “prevention first” must guide efforts, integrating prevention and treatment with coordinated action across sectors and communities. Strategies should target high-risk groups and focus on minimizing illness across the population, offering holistic health services throughout people’s lifetimes.

Efforts must prioritize precision and proactivity, advancing preventive measures to mitigate risks early. Disease prevention systems require reforms, including improved mechanisms for risk assessment, early warning, decision-making, and response. Integration of medical and preventive services must be strengthened to address major diseases at their source, preventing escalation into crises.

General Secretary Xi has also highlighted the patriotic health campaign as a model of applying the Party’s mass line to health efforts. In the New Era, this campaign should evolve, transitioning from environmental sanitation to comprehensive societal health management, addressing overall, long-term public health challenges.

Building a resilient public health framework

Strengthening the public health service system and responding promptly and effectively to newly emerging and sudden infectious diseases are crucial objectives in the modernization of China’s national governance system and capacity. While China’s public health service system, medical service system, medical security system, pharmaceutical supply system, and major epidemic prevention and emergency management framework are generally effective, certain weaknesses and areas for improvement remain.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of adopting a long-term perspective and accelerating efforts to address areas of weakness in the governance system. He has called for building a strong institutional framework to safeguard people’s lives and health. Key priorities include elevating the role of the public health system within the national governance framework through top-level design, advancing reforms to streamline systems and mechanisms, clarifying functional roles, and strengthening professional capabilities. Efforts should focus on improving major epidemic prevention and control mechanisms, establishing a robust national public health emergency management system, and developing an effective early warning and response framework. Comprehensive measures are needed to enhance prevention and treatment capabilities, creating a tightly woven public health protection network.

Increased investment in public health is essential to improve service programs, strengthen public health institutions at all levels—central, provincial, municipal, and county—and bolster grassroots prevention and control efforts in rural and community settings. Greater emphasis should also be placed on cultivating and developing professional talent and teams. Medical resources must be allocated more efficiently, with a focus on urban communities, rural areas, border cities, county-level hospitals, and TCM hospitals, to optimize the three-tier urban and rural medical service network. Emergency medical treatment reserves should be reinforced, and a hierarchical, layered, and categorized mechanism for treating infectious diseases and other major epidemics must be established. Additionally, a unified system integrating epidemic prevention, control, and public health research and development during both peacetime and emergencies should be improved.

Efforts must also intensify to build a comprehensive, scientifically sound, and efficient public health legal and regulatory system. This includes the establishment of a clear, standardized, and enforceable law enforcement mechanism for epidemic prevention and control, significantly enhancing the nation’s capacity for law-based epidemic prevention and governance.

Promoting healthy lifestyles and integrating fitness with public health

Health is both a fundamental right and a shared responsibility. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that improving public health literacy is one of the most fundamental, cost-effective, and impactful ways to enhance overall health. As the saying goes, “The best doctor is oneself.” It is essential to educate and guide people to develop a proper understanding of health, promoting the concept that “everyone is their own primary health steward.” This approach fosters greater societal awareness and prioritization of health, improving public health literacy and encouraging the adoption of healthy behaviors and lifestyles.

Physical health and mental health are deeply interconnected. Mental health and psychological well-being must be prioritized, with a focus on advancing foundational research into mental health issues, disseminating knowledge about psychological well-being and mental disorders, and standardizing services such as psychological counseling and therapy.

General Secretary Xi has further highlighted that sports are a vital pathway to improving public health. National fitness initiatives serve as the foundation for strengthening physical health and enabling better lives for all. To this end, the National Fitness Strategy should be implemented with greater depth, promoting widespread participation in fitness activities and ensuring key populations are engaged in regular exercise. The integration of fitness and public health must be further advanced by fostering innovation in policies, improving public fitness services, and embedding fitness into everyday life.

Special attention should be given to encouraging young people to actively engage in sports, aiming for their well-rounded development in morality, intellect, physical fitness, aesthetics, and work skills. This comprehensive approach supports their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Building a green, safe, and healthy environment

A healthy ecological environment is the foundation of human survival and well-being. Achieving this requires balancing the relationship between humanity and nature while maintaining ecological harmony. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that building a Beautiful China means ensuring the health of the nation’s landscapes and natural resources, thereby safeguarding the well-being of future generations.

Environmental protection and governance should focus on addressing pressing health-related environmental challenges. Priorities include controlling fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ensuring safe drinking water, managing soil pollution, and reducing the risks posed by heavy metals and chemicals. Persistent local issues, such as noise pollution, cooking fumes, and unpleasant odors, must also be addressed to improve the quality of living environments.

Efforts to enhance urban and rural sanitation should continue through comprehensive clean-up initiatives. These actions should be complemented by the development of healthy cities and villages, fostering healthy communities, workplaces, schools, and households.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that food and drug safety are essential to public health and life security. It is essential to use the strictest standards, rigorous oversight, severe penalties, and serious accountability to ensure safety at every stage—from farm to table and from laboratory to hospital. These measures are critical to guaranteeing the safety and reliability of what people consume and use.

Drug safety, in particular, is a matter of profound responsibility. It is not merely a technical or managerial issue but also a moral obligation and a matter of public trust. Ensuring safe and reliable medications is an unshakable duty of governments at all levels and a core social responsibility for every pharmaceutical enterprise. The bottom line must be upheld to ensure that every drug is safe, effective, and trustworthy, giving people confidence in their use.

V. Promoting the Joint Creation of a Human Community of Health

General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that humanity is an interconnected community with a shared future. Guided by the philosophy of “One World, One Family,” China is committed not only to safeguarding the health and well-being of its own people but also to advancing global public health, striving to promote the joint building of a human community. The tenth section of Building a Healthy China highlights his key insights on this subject.

Universal health is both a shared aspiration of humanity and a cornerstone of building a human community with a shared future. In today’s interconnected world, the challenges we face—including global pandemics and climate change—are more numerous, far-reaching, and complex than ever. These traditional and non-traditional security threats significantly endanger lives and public health. General Secretary Xi Jinping has likened the global response to navigating stormy seas: rather than sailing in over 190 small boats, nations must unite aboard a single vessel, resilient enough to weather the waves. Building a human community with a shared future is the right path to tackling common challenges and creating a more prosperous, harmonious, and beautiful world. Achieving health for all is a noble and collective aspiration. To realize this vision, we must unite our efforts, build consensus, encourage dialogue, and foster mutual learning. By advancing global health initiatives, supporting the development of the health industry, and enhancing international cooperation in health and healthcare, we can contribute to the well-being of all humankind.

China is committed to working with the international community to strengthen collaboration in public health, address global threats and challenges together, and promote the creation of a human community of health. Through these shared efforts, we aim to make meaningful contributions to the health of people worldwide.

Improving global health governance to address public health challenges

Public health security is a shared challenge that demands collective international action. The World Health Organization (WHO), as the leading specialized agency of the United Nations in health, plays a vital role in global health governance. Its inclusive decision-making processes, which allow equal participation by all nations, form a key pillar of effective global governance. WHO has been a valuable partner in China’s health development, and China actively participates in its efforts to address global health issues.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has underscored the need to tackle both the root causes and manifestations of public health crises. He has called for enhanced roles for the United Nations and WHO in strengthening global disease prevention and control systems. It is crucial to adhere to the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration, giving full consideration to the perspectives of developing countries and ensure their legitimate concerns are better represented. By utilizing emerging mechanisms and platforms such as the BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting and High-level Forum on Traditional Medicine, and the Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, we aim to foster deeper exchanges and cooperation in the health sector. Together, we will work to address global public health challenges and contribute to the well-being of people worldwide.

Contributing China’s wisdom, approaches, and strength to the health and well-being of humanity

Humanitarianism serves as the greatest common ground for uniting diverse civilizations. China is an ardent supporter, active participant, and significant contributor to the international humanitarian cause. Over the past half-century, as of 2023, China has dispatched medical teams to 76 countries and regions, including many in Africa, deploying a total of 30,000 medical personnel and treating 290 million patients. These efforts have greatly contributed to the development of healthcare systems in recipient nations and improved public health standards, representing a remarkable achievement.

In response to the global pandemic, a crisis with profound implications for humanity’s future, China has worked in close cooperation with countries around the world to navigate these unprecedented challenges. Adopting an approach based on openness, transparency, and responsibility, China not only protected the lives and health of its own people but also launched the largest-scale humanitarian aid operation in its history. This initiative saved countless lives globally, demonstrating China’s commitment to integrity, compassion, justice, and moral responsibility. Through these actions, China has contributed invaluable wisdom, resources, and support to the global fight against the pandemic.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of continuing to fulfill international obligations, actively participating in the formulation of international health standards, norms, and guidelines, and enhancing China’s influence and voice in global health governance. This will help build a human community of health.

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on building a Healthy China are visionary, profound, and an integral part of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. In studying Building a Healthy China, we must fully implement the guiding principles laid out at the 20th CPC National Congress and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee. By unwaveringly following the path of health development with Chinese characteristics, we can continuously improve the health of the people, fully advance the construction of a Healthy China, and create new achievements in the country’s healthcare sector.