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Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the country’s health programs to be developed in line with a development path suited to China’s conditions and for decisive progress in the Healthy China initiative during the 15th Five-Year Plan period covering 2026-2030.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), Xi, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, spoke at a national health meeting held in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday.

Xi emphasized that public health is one of the fundamental indicators of a country’s prosperity and strength. Noting that the Healthy China initiative has been implemented since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, Xi said China has established some of the world’s largest systems in healthcare services, traditional medicine, disease prevention and control, and health security.

Xi said the Healthy China goal includes providing healthcare services in a balanced, inclusive, high-quality and efficient manner, adding that public health should become part of all policies and areas of work.

Stating that disease prevention is the most cost-effective and efficient way to protect public health, Xi called for greater emphasis on primary healthcare, addressing risks at their source and improving health awareness in society. Xi also stressed the need to establish a stronger disease prevention and control system against large-scale epidemics.

Calling for improvements in the responsibilities and structural distribution of healthcare institutions, Xi said citizens should be able to access healthcare services close to where they live and receive effective treatment. Preserving and innovatively developing traditional Chinese medicine, supporting basic research and original innovation in healthcare, and making healthcare services easier to access were also among Xi’s priorities.

Xi said the development and regulation of healthcare services, health insurance and pharmaceuticals should be coordinated, and called for greater emphasis on training qualified healthcare professionals.

Calling for stronger cooperation with other countries to address global health challenges, Xi said efforts should continue toward building a global community that safeguards the health of all humanity.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang also said in his closing remarks at the meeting that Xi’s statements provided important guidance for advancing health programs in the new era. Li said public health and economic and social development should be coordinated.

Calling for urgent public needs and problems to be addressed, the tiered diagnosis and treatment system to be improved and the patient experience to be enhanced, Li also stressed the need to strengthen healthcare services for the elderly and children.