The 2023 “Training Program for Future LMC Diplomats: Building a Lancang-Mekong Health Community" co-sponsored by China Foreign Affairs University, Dalian Medical University and Peking Union Medical College was successfully held at Dalian Medical University from November 3 to November 6.

The opening ceremony was presided over by Lu Wei, dean of International Education College of Dalian Medical University. On behalf of DMU, she expressed a warm welcome to the lecturers and students who came from afar. Qiao Youlin, director of the Global Health Center of Peking Union Medical College, and Yang Yue, deputy director of the Asia Research Institute of China Foreign Affairs University, expressed their heartfelt thanks to DMU for the hard work in undertaking this training and highly praised the organization of the meeting and training teachers.

Professor Luwei, Dean of International Education College of Dalian Medical University, presided over the open ceremony

Speech by Professor Qiao Youlin, Director of Global Health Center of Peking Union Medical College

Speech by Professor Yang Yue, Deputy Director of the Asia Research Institute of China Foreign Affairs University

This seminar is rich in content and boasts various forms, including keynote lectures, expert round-table forums, panel meeting, simulated meetings of Lancang-Mekong health ministers, field visits, teacher-student seminars, etc. This seminar invited more than 20 experts from China Foreign Affairs University, Peking Union Medical College, Dalian Medical University, Dalian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Aier Ophthalmology and other units to provide multi-level training and guidance for more than 60 students recruited.

The keynote lecture focuses on "Lancang-Mekong health community and the construction of a community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries". The round-table forum focuses on "the needs and prospects of Lancang-Mekong health community". The theme covers Lancang-Mekong health community strategy, talent training, opportunities and challenges, the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer, thyroid diseases, eye diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, etc., as well as infant nutrition intake, hospital management and other aspects.

The theme of the panel meeting is "Policy Recommendations for Promoting Lancang-Mekong Health Cooperation". Representatives of students from Lancang-Mekong countries expressed their views and discussed on the topic of cooperation, and summarized the results of the discussion in the form of a research report of the working group.

In the "Simulated Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Conference" stage, the trainee representatives of the six countries followed the rules of procedure of LMC cooperation, based on the policy consensus reached at the panel meeting, expounded their national positions around the theme, and jointly issued the Lancang-Mekong Health Cooperation Initiative in 2023.

Since the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong-Community Mechanism, the realization of health security and development in the LMC subregion has always been the common goal of the LMC member countries. In recent years, especially in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the coordination and cooperation between all parties in the fields of infectious disease monitoring and joint prevention, technical equipment assistance, and talent training have been significantly strengthened. However, some member countries face the dual challenges of infectious diseases and chronic diseases, and due to the lack of human and material resources, national and regional health governance capabilities are limited, and the ability to respond to public health emergencies is insufficient.

The theme of this training program is "Building Lancang-Mekong Health Community", which aims to simulate the formulation of regional health cooperation strategies, cultivate future health diplomacy talents, and help member countries rebuild the health system in the post-epidemic era.