Chinese, Arabs agree on boosting ‘health Silk Road’ at Beijing forum
Kuwait’s participation in China forum strengthen ties: Minister Al-Sabah
BEIJING: The Second China-Arab States Health Cooperation Forum concluded on Friday with conferees’ approval of the ‘Beijing Initiative’ designed to bolster health cooperation between the Chinese and Arab nations this year. According to a statement issued at end of the meeting, the Chinese and Arab conferees held in-depth discussions on deepening mutual cooperation in health ‘and joint building of the Silk Road.’
The two sides affirmed resolve to purse cooperation for bolstering “the process of construction of the ArabChinese Silk Road in the health sector” and seek to build healthy societies in the two nations. According to the ‘Beijing Initiative,’ as cited by the convention final statement, health is a basis for attaining objective of comprehensive sustainable health by 2030; with special attention to health care for mothers, children and teenagers. It noted necessity of boosting dialogue, swapping information about the two sides’ strategies with respect of health development, systems and legislations.
The ‘Beijing Initiative’ called for Sino-Arab cooperation in the fields of prevention from major diseases, as well as communicable and emerging ailments, through enhancing technical coordination. Moreover, aspired greater cooperation between the two nations, according to the initiative, calls for personnel training, swap of specialists, enhanced emergency services, in addition to securing medical services for the impoverished, the elderly, women, the kids and the people of special needs.
It applauded a proposal to establish a joint center for applied research and called for a framework to merge benefits of the modern medicine with those of the Chinese popular medicine. Furthermore, it called for establishing a joint network for cooperation among hospitals, exchanging expertise in hospital management, cadres’ training and conventional medicine. It noted that the third session would be held at a member state of the Arab League, but indicated that the date of it would be set according to a future agreement between the Arab and Chinese sides.
Strengthening ties Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel AlHumoud Al-Sabah, representing State of Kuwait at the forum, said the Kuwaiti participation crowned the 2018 state visit to China by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Addressing the meeting, the minister affirmed that the Kuwaiti involvement in the event emanated from the solid ties between the two countries, noting that His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s visit to Beijing last year resulted in elevating level of the relations between the two friendly countries, turning them into a comprehensive, strategic relationship. He expressed gratitude to all personnel who played a role in organizing this major forum for the second time, noting that it constituted a good result of the constructive cooperation between the Council of Arab Health Ministers and China. Such a relationship is a framework for exchanging views, expertise, policies and programs between the two sides’ health leaders for facing challenges and attaining the international goal for sustainable development, 2030, with respect of the sector in particular, Sheikh Dr Basel added. The ‘Beijing Declaration’ opens a new chapter in the relations between the two sides for bolstering health cooperation, he added further.
The State of Kuwait participated in the meeting with a delegation from the Ministry of Health headed by Sheikh Dr Basel. It includes the State of Kuwait Ambassador to China Sameeh Hayat. Also addressing the gathering, Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazala, the Arab League assistant general secretary for social affairs, indicated that the conferees would address a host of issues, namely health policies, pharmaceutical industries, conventional medicine, public health, training cadres, producing vaccines and serums. Meanwhile, Chinese Minister of Health Ma Xiaowei urged for pressing ahead with building ‘the Silk Road’ in the health sector, noting that Beijing had inked 12 memoranda of understanding in the health field with Arab states, also indicating that the cooperation had resulted in executing a number of cooperation ventures in sectors of prevention from epidemics, building public health facilities, mother and child health care and conventional medicine. He called for enhancing the Arab-Chinese cooperation at this level. — KUNA