China's Silk Road and global health

Abstract

In 2013, China proposed its Belt and Road Initiative to promote trade, infrastructure, and commercial associations with 65 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. This initiative contains important health components. Simultaneously, China launched an unprecedented overseas intervention against Ebola virus in west Africa, dispatching 1200 workers, including Chinese military personnel. The overseas development assistance provided by China has been increasing by 25% annually, reaching US$7 billion in 2013. Development assistance for health from China has particularly been used to develop infrastructure and provide medical supplies to Africa and Asia. China's contributions to multilateral organisations are increasing but are unlikely to bridge substantial gaps, if any, vacated by other donors; China is creating its own multilateral funds and banks and challenging the existing global architecture. These new investment vehicles are more aligned with the geography and type of support of the Belt and Road Initiative. Our analysis concludes that China's Belt and Road Initiative, Ebola response, development assistance for health, and new investment funds are complementary and reinforcing, with China shaping a unique global engagement impacting powerfully on the contours of global health.

China's Belt and Road Initiative: Incorporating public health measures toward global economic growth and shared prosperity

“…Through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the One Belt One Road (OBOR) or the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, China has confirmed its intention to re-invigorate the Silk Road that existed between 1453 BCE and 130 BCE. 1 The earlier undertaking of 1453-130 BCE was mainly a series of trade routes that intertwined through Europe, Central Asia, and Persia to China to facilitate trade, commerce, cultural exchanges, and knowledge in the ancient world. 1 In October 2013's announcement by the Chinese government, China sought to encompass and incorporate many countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa in its path to a more globally integrated world characterized by higher growth prospects and sustainable economic development.…”

“…1 The earlier undertaking of 1453-130 BCE was mainly a series of trade routes that intertwined through Europe, Central Asia, and Persia to China to facilitate trade, commerce, cultural exchanges, and knowledge in the ancient world. 1 In October 2013's announcement by the Chinese government, China sought to encompass and incorporate many countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa in its path to a more globally integrated world characterized by higher growth prospects and sustainable economic development. The 65-plus integrated countries account for approximately 40% of global gross domestic product (GDP).…”

“…The 65-plus integrated countries account for approximately 40% of global gross domestic product (GDP). [1][2][3][4] With this aim in mind, China has already injected 40 billion USD worth of initial funds, with private investors setting up funds with an initial capital sum of 30 billion CNY in March 2017 to support the consortia of projects under this initiative. 1 The initiative held significant commercial, trading, and health potential -for the country and the involved partners in particular-in sustainable infrastructure, geo-economic influence and integration of bilateral and multilateral trade, health and education empowerment of the modern world, skills transfer, and innovation uptake and development.…”

To establish a talent pool for global health in China: from political will to action

“…Since 1963, China has built more than 100 health facilities with an estimated 23,000 health workers dispatched overseas with health aid [2]. Medical teams deployed to countries in Africa or in other regions were selected from public hospitals at the subnational level in the absence of public health workers until the health teams dispatched to respond to Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2013 [8]. For the short-term health affairs, health workers including clinicians, nurses, public health professionals, and health officials were selectively gathered from corresponding departments to compose an interim team, which then would be deployed to commit health activities under the leadership of National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), the highest leader in health system in China.…”

“…In major health activities overseas, especially in response to Ebola in West Africa during 2013–2015, China has realized the importance of cooperation and collaborations with international organizations. In reality, China has launched the new Country Cooperation Strategies 2016–2020 with WHO, aiming to strengthening the cooperation between China and WHO, with six health priorities including enhancing China’s contribution in global health [8]. On the other hand, the cooperation between China and other international partners was also launched, including EU CDC [20], US CDC [21,22], UNICEF, and health ministries of four BRICS countries [23], sharing concerns about cross-border infectious disease threats, and combating other major health threats, such as ageing population, and conducting medical research.…”