At noon of May 7, 2019, upon the invitation of Ed Kronenburg, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in China, Dr. Song Ruilin, Executive President of China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association (PhIRDA), participated in the high-level welcome banquet for the Dutch health delegation at the Dutch ambassador's residence. Mr. Hugo de Jonge, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands, Cornelis van der Burg, Director of the Department of Long-term Care, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands, Roland Driece, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, and other officials and business representatives host important Chinese partners, having an in-depth communication on healthcare cooperation between the Netherlands and China in the banquet.

At the banquet, Ambassador Ed Kronenburg expressed that, as an important partner of the Netherlands, China is establishing a close exchanges in the fields of life sciences, medicine and healthcare. Ed Kronenburg held a positive view on the future in-depth cooperation between China and the Netherlands in the field of pharmaceutical innovation. Representatives from China and Netherlands had a lively discussion on medical and health system reform, long-term care for patients, challenges brought by the aging society and the development of pharmaceutical innovation.

Dr. Song Ruilin introduced that centering on the principles of “innovation, industrialization and internationalization”, PhIRDA always spared no effort in improving the pharmaceutical policy in China and the development of pharmaceutical innovation. Dr. Song noted particularly that pharmaceutical innovation played an indispensable role in the medical and healthcare system of a nation, and governments should strike an organic balance between encouraging pharmaceutical innovation and controlling drug prices, so that innovative drugs could make more contribution on people’s health and ultimately benefit the majority of patients. Dr. Song also expressed that China could draw much experience from the Netherlands in drug R&D and life sciences. PhIRDA and Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands have been actively promoting bilateral exchanges and cooperation pharmaceutical innovation industry. In June of this year, PhIRDA will organize a delegation to visit Netherlands for further discussion and cooperation with the Dutch medical and pharmaceutical community, further strengthening the communication of the field of biotechnology and healthcare, and build a platform for dialogue and to promote the two countries further cooperation on drug R&D.

Dr. Song introduced the development of pharmaceutical industry in China at the banquet
 (First from the left: Dutch Ambassador Ed Kronenburg)

Mr. Gauden Galea, Chief Representative of the World Health Organization in China, Liu Yuanli, Dean of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dean of the School of Public Health of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Xiao Caiwei, Deputy Director of the National Working Committee on Aging, and Liu Rui, healthcare expert of the World Bank Project. The luncheon was also attended by Peter Bootsma, Counsellor of Health, Welfare and Sport of the Netherlands in China.

Photo of Banquet Guests