On May 19, Ambassador Jia Guide, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organizations in Switzerland, delivered a joint statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of Global Governance in Geneva (GFGG) during the general discussion of the 79th World Health Assembly, calling for building a fairer, more inclusive and effective global health governance system.

Ambassador Jia pointed out that global health governance today faces multiple challenges. Strengthening global health governance is not a matter of choice; it is a shared responsibility for all countries in protecting people’s health and promoting sustainable development. All parties should be guided by three principles. First, equal participation should be ensured. Countries differ in national conditions, levels of development, and health systems, but they have an equal right to participate in global health governance. The views and concerns of all parties, especially developing countries, should be fully listened to. Second, we support the World Health Organization in playing its central coordinating role in global health governance. Multilateral cooperation should be strengthened. All parties should, on the basis of mutual respect and practical consultation, expand consensus, advance positive progress in negotiations on the PABS annex to the Pandemic Agreement, and strengthen the international community’s capacity to prevent and respond to future public health crises. Third, the people-centred approach should be upheld. Attention should be paid to the actual needs of people in developing countries, and support should be provided to help them build more resilient health systems and strengthen their own capacity for disease prevention and control. New technologies, including artificial intelligence, should also serve people’s health and empower health governance in a safe, responsible and inclusive manner.

In February this year, the Group of Friends of Global Governance was officially launched at China’s initiative. It has become a sound platform for all parties to discuss reforming and improving global governance, and now has 47 Member States. This joint statement has broadly built consensus among members of the Group and contributed positive momentum to improving global health governance.