Xi Jinping vows stepped up health cooperation with Africa

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday promised further medical cooperation with Africa, state media reported, as dozens of health ministers from the continent met in Beijing.

China has placed major emphasis on ties with Africa as the country’s economic rise has seen financial and trade ties skyrocket as it buys many of its raw materials from countries there.

Xi said China will keep dispatching cataract surgeons and other medical teams and will step up cooperation in maternal and child health care, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Xi was addressing representatives from African nations and international organisations participating in the Ministerial Forum on China-Africa Health Development, Xinhua said.

“Human development is at the core of development,” Xi said. “We hope this forum will substantially push forward health cooperation between China and Africa.”

Participants from 48 African countries and eight international organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS and the UN Population Fund, attended the gathering, Xinhua said.