International collaboration to promote global health: The 2017 Belt and Road Initiative Global Health International Congress & 2017 Chinese Preventive Medicine Association—Chinese Society on Global Health Annual Meeting

Abstract With the rapid development of new technologies and global trade and increasing collaboration among countries worldwide, public health has become a global issue. Global health, as a new discipline, has been drawing more attention from both academia and governments. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by China in 2013, aimed to promote trade and resource exchange, including education, research, and health issues, with over 60 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The BRI provides good opportunities for involved countries to address health problems jointly as well. In response to the BRI and to promote international collaboration on global health issues, “The 2017 Belt and Road Initiative Global Health International Congress & 2017 Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health Annual Meeting” was held on September 24-27, 2017 in Xi’an, China. Thus far, this is the largest high-quality international conference held in China that focused on the BRI global health issues. This article summarized the background, key sessions and topics covered during the congress, and important events, and highlights different perspectives of the BRI and global health by invited experts from China and abroad. The conference included 14 sessions (three keynote speech forums and ten scientific sessions and a research poster session) and about 100 speakers, around 40 of which were leading experts outside of China. All the major sessions were held in English. More than 40 leaders and experts of health sectors from 13 countries presented their work in the congress. Approximately 400 delegates from 29 countries attended the congress. Delegates had extensive discussions about global health related issues, future cooperation and development in global health. The congress fostered international exchange and collaboration.