Multiple documents signed in Health Ministerial Meeting

China and the Central and Eastern European countries are carrying out many wide-ranging 'people-to-people' exchanges this year through the '16-plus-1 mechanism'. Cooperation in health is one of the highlights of this. with their ministers gathering in China, they've agreed to work together to improve the standards of hospitals, public health and the pharmaceutical industry. 

It's the second time they've met since last year's meeting in Prague. Health authorities in China and the CEE countries have established two associations to promote health programs and public health cooperation. A hospital network was also founded, which includes 47 public hospitals from five countries.

Their aim is to make sure all elements are systemic and sustainable.

"We are glad to see the European Union's "Third Stage Health Program 2014-2020" puts a premium on investing in a sustainable health system, strengthening precautions, addressing unequal access and integrating health into all policies. This dovetails with our strategy of a Healthy China," said Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong.

Nine agreements were signed between China and countries such as Hungary and the Czech republic, in medical science, disease control and Alzheimer's Disease research. But Poland's Health Ministry official says his country has its own focus.

"We pay particular importance to cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry. Tomorrow we'll take part in a pharmaceutical trade show, and there will be some Polish companies, we hope they'll soon establish cooperation with China," said Marek Tombarkiewicz, Undersecretary of State Ministry of Health, Poland

China is also hoping Traditional Chinese Medicine can become more readily-accepted in Europe, especially with its precautionary qualities.

Its theory and treatment are being presented at the meeting, and health experts from China and Europe are looking at ways to export it abroad.

China and Central and Eastern countries are discussing cooperation in hospitals, public health emergency response and Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM. Impressively, a center is being built in Hungary to carry out TCM training, clinical and drug research.