Last June, the first Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia opened in Qingdao. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the conference and Premier Sun Chunlan read President Xi's congratulatory letter and delivered a speech.

The conference has set up a high-end platform for exchange and cooperation in the field of health and medical care for global politics, business and academia, and promoted the construction of global health system and the development of health industry, which has gained wide attention.

The sudden outbreak of the epidemic has made people more concerned about health and more expect the second conference: when will this year's conference be held? The second Global Health Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia will be held in Qingdao in October 2020, as released by the expert webinar on June 2 on the preparatory work of the second conference.

In his speech at the expert webinar, Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of Boao Forum for Asia, said that the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic and the complexity of the situation highlight the value and necessity of the Global Health Forum, which provides an important platform for all parties to exchange experiences, inspire ideas and discuss ways to cope with it, and the second conference is held just at the right time.

Against the backdrop of the global outbreak of Covid-19, the Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia organized this conference to exchange experiences, practices, thoughts and suggestions on the prevention and control of the epidemic, reflecting the spirit of fraternity and moral responsibility.

1

What makes the Global Health Forum Conference sustainable?

The Global Health Forum is a platform for high-end dialogue and cooperation between politics, business and academia in the field of health, initiated by Boao Forum for Asia in 2018.

At the first Global Health Forum in June last year, more than 2,600 guests from 55 countries and regions gathered in Qingdao, and the theme of "Health Beyond Health—In the Year of Sustainable Development 2030" was widely echoed and recognized; professionals in the field of global health discussed the most cutting-edge and hot health issues under the three topics of "Health for All", "Innovation for Health" and " Health in All Policies", and shared their experiences, built consensus and explored the future.

At the expert webinar on the preparation of the second conference, Dr. Margaret Chan, President of Global Health Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia, chaired the meeting and released the first conference report of Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia.

The report concluded that the sessions and key events of the first conference led to the following consensus among participants: the world is healthier, more prosperous and more peaceful today than ever before, but the progress achieved by human society in recent decades may be undermined as the space in which humanity lives is threatened by climate change, environmental degradation, air pollution and excessive consumption of resources. Nevertheless, the future of human health is still bright. With the development and application of new technologies in the field of health, and with the expansion of international exchange and cooperation in the field of health, human beings will have unprecedented opportunities to significantly improve their health status.

According to the report, the first Global Health Forum has established a new model for promoting the concept of "Health Beyond Health" and the goal of "Health for All" in Asia and beyond. The scale of the conference, the number of the guests, the diversity of the organization, the focus on the future destiny of humanity, and the commitment to sustainable development have all made the first conference unprecedented and unique. The success of the first Global Health Forum is a testament to the necessity of organizing such a conference. Participants expressed their appreciation for the first conference and warmly welcomed the second conference to be held in Qingdao in October 2020.

These are important attributes of the first Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia and will be important factors in supporting the sustainability of the Global Health Forum.

2

The Pandemic and the Changing World released

By the end of May, the sudden outbreak of Covid-19 had resulted in more than 5 million confirmed cases and more than 300,000 deaths worldwide.

At a expert webinar on June 2, BFA Secretary General Li Baodong released "The Pandemic and the Changing World". This research report provides a brief review of the basic situation of the epidemic and national responses, and seeks to provide a clear view of how the epidemic will change the world from multiple perspectives, including economics, security, society, international relations, and global governance.

The report contains ten observations, each of which contains several points of view and judgments, namely, "The Covid-19 Epidemic is one of the most serious infectious diseases in a century," "The Covid-19 Epidemic is the most serious sudden global crisis since the end of the Cold War," and "The Impact of the Epidemic on the World Economy". "The impact of the epidemic on the world economy exceeds that of the 2008 international financial crisis" "The epidemic affects global economic development and security posture" "The epidemic will accelerate the evolution of international relations and international order ""The epidemic has put forward new requirements for the reform of the global governance system" "The epidemic has deepened adjustments in the globalization process" "The epidemic has prompted countries to strengthen their governance systems and capabilities ""The epidemic has accelerated the change of the social landscape"" "The epidemic has highlighted the coexistence of vulnerability and development resilience of human society.

The report indicates that the epidemic is the most serious sudden global crisis since the end of the Cold War and the first true "global epidemic”. Although the post-epidemic world is unlikely to be fundamentally and disruptively different, the epidemic has had a significant impact on the world economy, security and global development dynamics, and will accelerate the evolution of the international order and human society. The historical momentum of globalization will not end with the epidemic, but its structure and connotations may undergo new changes.

The epidemic has once again highlighted the lack of governance mechanisms for global issues. The epidemic has provided new arguments for groups opposing to globalization and fuelled protectionist thinking. But at the same time, the epidemic has also served as an unmistakable reminder to the world that humanity lives in a "global village" and that, whether it acknowledges it or not, it has in fact become a community of shared furture for mankind. No country can stand alone in the face of global challenges. Boao Forum for Asia has always believed that only by adhering to multilateralism and strengthening international cooperation can we better respond to global challenges.

Wang Qingxian, member of the Standing Committee of Shandong Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of Qingdao Municipal Party Committee, pointed out in his speech at the video conference, "The global Covid-19 epidemic has made us feel more truly that humanity is indeed a community of shared future. In the face of the epidemic, no one in the world, regardless of race, color, religion or language, can be confident that they are immune, for the epidemic will not care for anyone's caprice."

3

Global Health Forum comes at the right time under the epidemic

At the expert webinar, experts, including Wang Chen, president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, generally agreed that sharing information and experience and coordinating cooperation across borders and regions is crucial in the fight against the Covid-19 outbreak. The World Health Organization has done a great deal of work to this end. Although countries have different systems and cultures, and the process of epidemic development and spread is not exactly the same, the basic rules of prevention and response to the outbreak of the same infectious diseases are similar. The international community should learn from each other and follow them together in order to form the greatest synergy in the fight against the epidemic and thus ultimately overcome it.

The experts also said that at the current time when the Covid-19 epidemic is still ravaging the world, the Global Health Forum can play an important role as a platform for global action against the epidemic. The second conference should adjust the conference program and discussion topics in a timely manner according to the development of the epidemic situation, and make relevant plans in ensuring the health of the participants, preventing inbound cases and domestic resurgences.　　

"The outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic and the complexity of the situation highlight the value and necessity of the Global Health Forum, which provides an important platform for all parties to exchange experiences, inspire ideas and discuss ways to deal with the situation. This is a time to show solidarity, not division, and to respect science, but not play politics. The World Health Organization should continue to lead global action against the epidemic. The international community should unite against the epidemic and work together to address global challenges such as climate change." Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, said. Change is an opportunity for those who come later, and crisis is an opportunity for innovators. With the development and application of new technologies in the health field and the expanding international cooperation and exchange in medical and health care, a new opportunity has arrived.　

And Qingdao is the opportunity!