The 10th China-U.S. Health Track II Dialogue was co-hosted by the National School of Development (NSD) at Peking University, the Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) at Peking University, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S., from July 8 to 9, 2025 (Eastern Time). Top experts from China and the U.S. in the fields of healthcare policy research and practice participated in the dialogue, engaging in in-depth closed-door discussions and exchanges on key topics such as global health, healthcare policy, medical innovation, and medical regulation.
The U.S. delegation was convened by Mr. Steven Orlins, President of NCUSCR, with Dr. Mark McClellan, former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Senior Professor of Duke University, serving as the delegation leader. The Chinese delegation was convened by Dr. Gordon G. Liu, Boya Distinguished Professor at NSD, Dean of Peking University Institute for Global Health and Development , and Member of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, while Academician Gu Dongfeng, Chair Professor at Southern University of Science and Technology and Professor at Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, led the delegation.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. Stephen A. Orlins (U.S. convener) and Professor Liu Guoen (Chinese convener) delivered speeches, emphasizing the necessity and importance of China-U.S. dialogue and cooperation in addressing global health challenges.
The first session, focused on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, was chaired by Professor Yan Lijing, a faculty member at Duke Kunshan University and Adjunct Professor at IGHD. Professor Harlan Krumholz, Harold H. Hines, Jr. Professor of Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), and Mr. Zhang Ligang, Chairman and CEO of iKang Healthcare Group, delivered keynote remarks. Carolyn Magill, CEO of U.S.-based Aetion, and Academician Gu Dongfeng provided comments. During the discussion, experts agreed that China and the U.S. each have unique strengths in healthcare AI, with broad prospects for cooperation. The U.S. has rich experience in high-precision algorithm development, ethical framework establishment, and medical standardization, while China boasts strong data collection capabilities, grassroots application scenarios, and systemic driving forces. Experts noted that encouraging active patient participation in data sharing, strengthening data privacy protection, and establishing algorithm transparency mechanisms are prerequisites for advancing healthcare AI. Building trust mechanisms will be central to the widespread application of AI and international collaboration. Additionally, Professor Liu Guoen shared updates on the Planetary Health Axis System (PHAS) project. Through continuous development and optimization, PHAS can achieve complementary advantages in diverse sample collection, cross-system data integration, and policy coordination, providing scientific support and decision-making basis for addressing global health challenges and promoting sustainable development.
The second session explored pharmaceutical payment reforms to optimize innovation incentives, improve drug accessibility, and control healthcare costs. Chaired by Dr. Carlos del Rio, Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and H. Cliff Sauls Distinguished Professor at Emory University School of Medicine, the session featured a keynote by Professor Lei Xiaoyan, Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor of Economics at NSD. Comments were provided by Ms. Roberta Lipson, Founder of United Family Healthcare and Vice Chairman of New Frontier Health, and Mr. Kevin Ye (Ye Yuxiang), Chairman of Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals. Experts highlighted that while China and the U.S. have different paths in pharmaceutical payment systems, both face common challenges in balancing innovation, accessibility, and payment sustainability. They suggested further exchanges and policy coordination in areas such as outcome-based payment, regional pilots, international price benchmarking, and real-world data collection to address the growing global challenges of drug accessibility and payment sustainability.
The third session, focused on strengthening global pharmaceutical production and procurement supply chains, was chaired by Professor Gong Peng, Vice-Chancellor and Chair Professor of Sustainability at the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Li Zili, Advisor to the Hong Kong Department of Health and former Head of Asia-Pacific R&D at Johnson & Johnson, and Dr. Cliff Hudis, CEO of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, delivered keynote remarks. Comments were provided by Jasper MacSlarrow, Director of International Government Affairs for Asia at Amgen, and Dr. Lin Yiquan, Visiting Professor at Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of International Business at National Taiwan University. Experts noted that global pharmaceutical supply chains have become increasingly vulnerable amid challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, and ongoing shortages of critical generic drugs. They emphasized the need for China and the U.S. to enhance cooperation to build more resilient manufacturing and distribution systems. Discussions focused on mitigating drug shortages and optimizing cross-border collaboration, with experts analyzing the root causes of generic drug shortages from both supply and demand perspectives and highlighting biosecurity as a key area of mutual concern. They recommended deepening cooperation in ensuring the manufacturing and supply chains of critical and emerging pharmaceuticals and other biotech products, while working together to address barriers to information sharing and drug tariffs.
The fourth session addressed China-U.S. cooperation in healthcare policies to tackle aging and dementia. Chaired by Carolyn Magill (CEO of Aetion), the session featured keynote speeches by Professor Lawrence Brown of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Associate Professor Chen Xi of Yale School of Public Health. Comments were provided by Professor Megan Ranney, Dean of Yale School of Public Health, and Professor Xu Anlong, President of Hong Kong Advanced Institute for Science and Technology at Sun Yat-sen University and former President of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. Experts noted that both China and the U.S. face aging populations, with growing concerns over elderly health issues, including rising dementia rates, which could exert increasing macroeconomic and social pressures if not addressed. They suggested systemic solutions such as AI-assisted care, leveraging technology to address labor shortages, and integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Governments of both countries were urged to strengthen collaboration, share experiences and research outcomes in addressing common challenges, and promote joint progress in healthcare policies and practices.
Introduction to the China-U.S. Health Track II Dialogue
The China-U.S. Health Track II Dialogue is co-hosted by Peking University’s National School of Development, Institute for Global Health and Development, and the U.S. National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. Launched in 2017, it is held annually, alternating between China and the United States. The U.S. delegation is led by Dr. Mark McClellan, former FDA Commissioner and Margolis Professor of Business, Medicine, and Health Policy at Duke University. The U.S. convener is Mr. Stephen Orlins, President of NCUSCR. The Chinese delegation is led by Dr. Liu Qian, President of the Chinese Hospital Association, former Vice Minister of Health, and former Vice Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission. The Chinese convener is Professor Gordon G.Liu, Dean of Peking University Institute for Global Health and Development, Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor at NSD, and Member of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
Participants include prominent experts and industry representatives from China and the U.S. in healthcare, economic development, and international relations. The dialogue aims to facilitate candid and in-depth exchanges on healthcare-related topics, formulate consensus reports, and submit them to senior policy-making bodies in both countries to inform national decision-making.
