HANGZHOU, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The China-Arab States Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Public Health was officially launched on Wednesday in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, with a focus on promoting cooperation on medical technology, joint scientific research, and talent development.
Based at the First Affiliated Hospital of the Zhejiang University School of Medicine, the center aims to tackle shared public health challenges through collaborative research and joint disease-control strategies between China and the Arab states.
The plan to establish the center stemmed from commitments made in 2022, when China and the Arab states agreed on eight major cooperation initiatives to deepen practical collaboration. In determining those initiatives, public health was identified as a key priority, with goals including closer scientific cooperation and joint vaccine development.
"The launch of the cooperation center is a clear example of putting the idea of a China-Arab states community with a shared future into practice, and a concrete action in promoting the spirit of the China-Arab states friendship," said Chen Jiachang, vice minister of China's Ministry of Science and Technology, noting that the establishment of the center reflects China's sense of responsibility in global health cooperation.
"It is of great significance to leveraging science and technology to strengthen public health cooperation between China and the Arab states, and to building a global community of health for all," he added.
Officials and experts from the Arab states expressed their strong expectations for the center, viewing it as a shared platform to deepen research collaboration, promote health innovation, and support the development of medical systems between China and the Arab states.
Mamoun M. Al-Debi'e, secretary general of Jordan's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said the center would help drive joint research and the transfer of technology, noting that Jordan will encourage its academic institutions and researchers to engage actively with the initiative.
"We look forward to deepening our cooperation with the center through joint research," he said. "We'll also encourage our faculty members and institutions to benefit from their capacity and infrastructure."
Other officials echoed similar hopes. Ahmed Mustafa Fahmy Hafez, head of the League of Arab States Mission in Beijing, described the initiative as "a truly scientific approach" to strengthening health cooperation across the region.
He views the effort as a continuation of the long-standing trust between China and the Arab states, noting, "The trust is already there -- we are now building on it under the Belt and Road Initiative."
Egyptian representatives highlighted the center's role in supporting public health system transformation and evidence-based policymaking. Maha EI Rabbat, former Egyptian health minister, called it "a center of excellence for cooperation in research, innovation and adapting public health solutions to local needs."
She stressed that collaboration should focus on research, capacity-building, digitalization and training -- not just nationally, but also regionally and across Africa.
As the center's host institution, the First Affiliated Hospital of the Zhejiang University School of Medicine has been actively expanding its cooperation with Arab medical institutions through joint research, training programs and professional exchanges. These efforts aim to build long-term capacities and address the specific health needs of partner countries.
In 2025, the hospital launched a training program for Arab medical professionals. In May, the first group of five trainees from Egypt arrived in Hangzhou to begin clinical studies.
Among them was Ali Hussein Ali Khedr, deputy director of Egypt's National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, who described the experience as both educational and inspiring.
"Studying in China has been unforgettable," he said. "I hope to bring the knowledge back home to benefit patients and deepen medical ties between our two countries."
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