Dalian, Aug 24, 2026 — The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Health Working Group convened its second 2026 meeting in Dalian, Liaoning Province, drawing roughly 170 delegates from 20 economies to discuss regional health integration, as China pushed for deeper cooperation on healthy aging and digital health.
China’s Pitch
Zheng Zhe, vice minister of China’s National Health Commission (NHC), told the Aug 23 opening session via video link that health cooperation remains a foundational enabler of Asia-Pacific economic and trade ties. He urged member economies to converge on priority health issues and introduced China’s 15th Five-Year Plan health targets and its health-priority development strategy, stating Beijing’s readiness to help build a “healthy, resilient and inclusive” Asia-Pacific.
Agenda & Dialogues
The two-day program covered:
- Healthy aging and elderly-care systems
- Universal health coverage financing and access
- Digital and intelligent health infrastructure
- Traditional medicine integration
- Health security and pandemic preparedness
- Health industry innovation and investment
A parallel track hosted 16 policy dialogues and seminars, including sessions on brain health promotion and healthy aging acceleration.
Attendance
| Delegation | Representation |
|---|---|
| Economies | 20 APEC member economies |
| Total delegates | ~170 officials and experts |
| China presence | NHC International Department; National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine; relevant agencies and specialists |
Policy Implications
Zheng’s emphasis on the 15th Five-Year Plan signals Beijing’s effort to align domestic health modernization with regional diplomacy. The prominence of traditional medicine and digital health on the agenda mirrors China’s twin strategic goals: elevating Traditional Chinese Medicine globally and exporting digital health tools honed during its universal coverage rollout. With the APEC leaders’ summit scheduled for late 2026, the working group’s output is likely to shape minister-level commitments on cross-border health data standards and elderly-care protocols.
Forward-Looking Statement
Health officials expect the Dalian discussions to feed into a broader APEC health ministers’ declaration later this year, potentially codifying regional cooperation on aging populations and digital health interoperability. The strong turnout—170 delegates across 20 economies—suggests sustained post-pandemic momentum for multilateral health coordination, even as member states navigate broader trade frictions. China is positioned to lead a proposed regional healthy-aging initiative, leveraging its domestic policy framework as a blueprint for Asia-Pacific counterparts facing similar demographic headwinds.-China Health Reform Pulse
For detailed implementation guidelines and the full list of approved products, refer to the official announcements from the Guangdong Provincial Medical Device Exchange Center.
Policy Source: https://www.nhc.gov.cn/gjhzs/c100032/202608/cf965e410dc642c7b6e42e20a961f6cc.shtml