Health is a must for human development and a basis for socio-economic development.Health and longevity are an important token of national wealth and prosperity,representing the common wishes of people of all ethnic groups in the country.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the government have always attachedgreat importance to the health of the population. Since the establishment of NewChina, especially with the reform and opening up, the health sector has seen successfulreforms and development, with a better urban and rural environment, intensifiedhealth promotion campaigns, an improved medical care system, andcontinuously enhanced health and wellbeing among the population. In 2015, theaverage life expectancy reached 76.34 years; infant mortality, under-5 mortalityand the maternal mortality rate were reduced to 8.1‰, 10.7‰, and 20.1 per100,000, respectively. With main health indicators outperforming the averagesseen in upper middle-income countries, the Chinese health system has laid a solidfoundation for building an all-round moderately prosperous society. Meanwhile,industrialization, urbanization, aging population, a changing disease spectrum,ecosystem and lifestyles complicate the situation and pose new challenges tomaintaining and promoting health. There are prominent conflicts between healthneeds and health supply, and health development and socioeconomic developmentare still lacking coordination. Long-term strategic solutions for key and profoundissues are needed.

A healthy China is fundamental for the country to achieve an all-round moderatelyprosperous society and the modernization of socialist society. “HealthyChina 2030” is a national strategy for improving the health of the population andcoordinating health and socioeconomic development, and a major means for thecountry to participate in global health governance and meet targets set in the 2030Agenda for Sustainable Development. The next 15 years will be a key period forimproving the population’s health. Economic growth at medium to high speedprovides a solid foundation for health improvement. Upgrading of consumptionmay mean more opportunities for the development of the healthcare market. Withmore mature and fixed institutional arrangements and great momentum in scienceand technology innovation, sustainable development of the healthcare system willbe guaranteed.

To build a healthy China and raise the health status of the people, we have developedthe outline of a plan based on the decisions made at the Fifth Plenary Sessionof the 18th CPC Central Committee. This outline of the plan will be a blueprint andaction plan for facilitating the development of Healthy China. The entire societywill take responsibility and make commitments to achieving the goal, and contributeto the rejuvenation of the nation and advancement of human civilization.

The Committee of the Book