First, we must advance health development based on China’s national conditions. China is a socialist country and a developing country with a huge population and still-significant urban-rural and regional disparities. This determines that we must uphold Party leadership over health work, put the people and their lives first, follow the strategy of prioritizing health, uphold the public-service orientation of basic medical and health services, and follow the path of health development with Chinese characteristics. At the 2016 National Health Conference, the CPC Central Committee clearly set forth the health policy for the new era: focus on the primary level, take reform and innovation as the driving force, put prevention first, place equal emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, integrate health into all policies, and ensure the people jointly contribute to and share in the benefits. The historic achievements in China’s health development in the new era fully demonstrate that these requirements accord with China’s national conditions and are entirely correct. At present and for some time to come, China’s health work must respond to evolving circumstances by refining and improving certain specific policies and measures. However, we must not waver in following the path of health development with Chinese characteristics or in implementing the health policy for the new era. On these fundamental issues, we must always remain clear-headed and maintain strategic resolve.
Second, focus on priorities in advancing the building of a Healthy China. Building a Healthy China is a systematic undertaking. In the face of the people’s growing and diverse health needs, we must concentrate our efforts and resources on initiatives that benefit broad sections of the population, have wide-ranging implications, and exert a major impact on health development as a whole, and continuously achieve new results. For example, improving the public health system requires deepening society-wide governance, improving coordination and integration between medical services and disease prevention, and strengthening infectious disease prevention and control, surveillance and early warning, medical treatment, emergency response, material support, and oversight and regulation. We must attach great importance to psychological health and mental healthcare, and strengthen preventive guidance, early detection, and comprehensive intervention. For another example, people have high expectations for a high-quality and efficient healthcare service system. We must continue to optimize the system’s layout, implement the initiative to strengthen the foundations of healthcare, promote tiered diagnosis and treatment, and strengthen operational support at the county and district levels and for primary-level medical and healthcare institutions. We must advance the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, accelerate efforts to close gaps in medical services for key population groups and in underdeveloped medical specialties, improve comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases, and expand the provision of rehabilitation and nursing care, hospice care, and other services. For yet another example, promoting healthy and civilized lifestyles requires further improving the health literacy of the whole population, carrying out national fitness activities and the Patriotic Health Campaign, and guiding people to eat balanced diets and maintain a healthy weight. All these require concrete measures and specific means of implementation. Once priority tasks are carried out effectively, the building of a Healthy China can advance steadily.
Third, provide strong support for building a Healthy China. In this regard, we must improve the framework featuring unified leadership of Party committees and joint responsibility of Party and government authorities, improve the policy and institutional framework for health promotion, and integrate the concept of health into the entire process of formulating and implementing public policy. We must deepen reform of public hospitals and reform of medical insurance payment methods, improve the drug pricing mechanism, optimize policies for the centralized procurement of medicines and medical consumables, improve the efficiency with which medical insurance funds are used, and improve mechanisms for the coordinated development and governance of medical services, medical insurance, and pharmaceuticals. We must promote the application of scientific and technological innovation in the health sector and advance the digital and intelligent development of health services for the whole population. We must strengthen Party building in the health sector, fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of medical personnel, intensify personnel training, uphold high standards of medical ethics and professional conduct, and foster an ethical and upright professional environment.
Building a Healthy China requires the concerted efforts of society as a whole. The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) should fulfill its role as a specialized consultative body, conduct in-depth investigation and research focusing on relevant theoretical and practical issues, and put forward practical and effective policy recommendations. Members of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party and the Jiusan Society, as well as representatives from the sector of medicine and health and the sector of welfare and social security, should fully leverage their professional expertise and contribute their wisdom and strength to building a Healthy China.
※This is the main part of the speech delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, on March 6, 2026, when he attended a joint group meeting of national political advisors from the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, the Jiusan Society, the sector of medicine and health, and the sector of welfare and social security during the fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC.
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