News story

Matt Hancock visits China to promote co-operation on healthcare innovation

The Health and Social Care Secretary is travelling with some of the biggest technology companies in the UK to develop trade opportunities.

Matt Hancock in China

During his visit, he will co-host the UK-China Health Dialogue in Beijing and attend the World Economic Forum to champion the UK’s world-class life sciences sector.

The health and social care secretary will promote his vision for the UK to have the most advanced health-tech sector in the world.

In Beijing, he will meet China’s Health Minister Ma Xiaowei to discuss how the UK and China can work together to help patients live longer, healthier and happier lives by harnessing the potential of technology.

The Secretary of State will also attend the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, which he is co-chairing, to highlight the shared interest around innovation in health technology. He will discuss how patients can have access to the best and most cost-effective medicines when he meets with Minister Hu Jinglin from the National Healthcare Security Administration.

Matt Hancock said:

As global leaders, the UK and China must work closely together to tackle key emerging issues in healthcare like the increasing resistance to antibiotics, the issues of an ageing population, and how we can harness the power of technology to help patients live longer, healthier and happier lives.

I want the UK to have the most advanced healthcare system in the world, and this is a great opportunity to champion our world-class life sciences and health-tech sectors.

Published 17 September 2018