On the morning of August 19, 2025, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) paid a visit to the Institute for Global Health & Development (GHD) of Peking University. Together, they hosted the "China-US Health Cooperation Roundtable" in the conference hall of IGHD located in Peking University Science Park. More than 30 experts and scholars from universities, think tanks, and international organizations of China and the United States gathered together, conducting in-depth discussions on topics such as global health, biosecurity, chronic disease prevention and control, as well as artificial intelligence and medical innovation. The event aimed to promote practical cooperation amid the complex international landscape.
Bernhard Schwartländer, Distinguished Senior Research Professor at the Institute for Global Health & Development of Peking University, delivered a welcome speech. He emphasized that against the backdrop of multiple global uncertainties, health cooperation should serve as a crucial bridge for China and the United States to rebuild trust and promote peace.
Professor Gordon G. Liu, Dean of the Institute for Global Health and Development (GHD), introduced the Institute's founding background and development vision. Since its establishment, IGHD has continuously promoted interdisciplinary research and high-level China-US dialogue, initiated multiple programs including the "China-US Track 2 Health Dialogue" and the "Planetary Health Axis System (PHAS)" project, and actively leveraged cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data to empower scientific research and practice in the global health field.
Dr. J. Stephen Morrison, Vice President and Director of the Global Health Policy Center at CSIS, noted in his speech that despite the many challenges currently facing China-US relations—including disputes over biotechnology and tariff frictions—health cooperation still holds irreplaceable strategic and humanitarian value. Both sides urgently need to enhance mutual trust and build consensus through continuous, constructive dialogue, and jointly advance the development of global public health initiatives.
Participants also discussed cross-cutting issues at the intersection of public health, politics, and security. Professor Zhang Qingmin from Peking University pointed out that health issues are often affected by political factors, and called for transcending short-term games to build a sustainable cooperation mechanism. Dr. Paul Friedrichs, Senior Advisor at CSIS, emphasized the need to establish a global biological surveillance network to respond to potential public health crises in the future. Professor Jing Jun from Tsinghua University reviewed the achievements of previous China-US cooperation in areas such as AIDS and SARS.
A number of experts also put forward suggestions on topics including artificial intelligence and biosecurity, joint prevention and control of chronic diseases, and the health impacts of climate change. Dr. Yanzhong Huang, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, stressed the importance of preventing security risks in biotechnology and avoiding "excessive securitization" that hinders scientific research cooperation. Director Zhang Yawei from the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control at the National Cancer Center of China proposed that China and the US could strengthen joint research in the prevention and management of chronic diseases, especially exploring new models in data sharing and policy coordination. All participating experts agreed that the two sides should continue to maintain high-level and academic exchanges, enhance mutual trust, deepen collaboration, and jointly promote the building of a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable global health system to provide solid guarantees for addressing transnational public health challenges.
Finally, Professor Qin Xuezheng, Vice Dean of GHD at Peking University, concluded that health is a key field where China and the US share broad common interests. In the future, substantive cooperation can be advanced in areas such as biosecurity, the application of AI in healthcare, cancer prevention and treatment, pandemic preparedness, and health adaptation to climate change. He also called for translating dialogue into action through scholar exchanges, collaborative research, and policy briefs.
