BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China is a key player in addressing global health challenges, and multilateral cooperation is the only viable path to advancing global health, Saia Ma'u Piukala, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
"In China, healthcare is viewed not as a fiscal outlay, but as an investment," said Piukala. After visiting communities across the country in recent years, he was impressed by China's progress in tackling chronic diseases and its growing use of digital technologies in health monitoring and clinical research.
China has continued to expand its healthcare system in recent years, with basic medical insurance now covering more than 95 percent of the population. The average life expectancy in China reached 79.25 years in 2025. The country has also strengthened disease surveillance, public health infrastructure and primary-level healthcare services.
These efforts are closely aligned with WHO's broader strategic objectives, such as addressing the root causes of poor health and advancing primary healthcare, Piukala noted.
He further highlighted that China's 15th Five-Year Plan places public health high on the policy agenda, with a focus on grassroots healthcare and technological innovation.
"At a time when many countries are cutting health spending amid economic pressures, China is scaling up its investment and commitment to healthcare," he said. "That experience could offer valuable lessons not only for the Western Pacific region, but also for the wider world."
As geopolitical tensions, financial strain and increasingly complex health risks put pressure on global health cooperation, Piukala said international solidarity is becoming more important than ever.
China has demonstrated its commitment to multilateralism through concrete actions. In 2025, China dispatched 1,061 medical personnel to 57 countries, providing services to more than 2.06 million patients. China has also supported malaria control efforts in countries across Africa and Southeast Asia.
Under the China-WHO Country Cooperation Strategy for 2022-2026, the two sides have expanded cooperation, such as piloting people-centered integrated healthcare delivery systems in China. Joint programs have also helped countries such as Cambodia and Laos advance their efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis.
"Whether in a small village in the Pacific or a megacity in China, our vision is the same: enabling people to live longer, healthier lives with dignity," he said. "Health connects us all, and addressing shared health challenges requires countries to work together."
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