"March 27-28, 2023: GDK Represents UK Medical Sector during the British Consulate-General Chongqing's Visit to Sichuan University West China Medical Center and Sichuan Medical Science & Education Center."

From March 26-28, 2023, under the leadership of Ray Jie Ma, Deputy Director for Life Sciences and Healthcare at the Department for International Trade, China Region, and Commercial Consul from the British Consulate-General in Chongqing, a delegation visited the Sichuan Provincial Health Commission, the International Exchange & Cooperation Center of the Sichuan Provincial Health Commission, and the Sichuan Medical Education and Science Center. During the visit to the West China Medical Center of Sichuan University, leaders from affiliated hospitals of the university, including West China Hospital, West China School of Stomatology, West China Second Hospital, and West China Fourth Hospital, were present. The meeting, chaired by Qing Ping, Dean of Medical Education at the West China Medical Center, was built upon two decades of collaboration, where deeper cooperation in the medical field was discussed.

On March 28th, the delegation visited the Sichuan Medical Science & Education Center (hereinafter referred to as the "Center"). Representatives from the International Cooperation Department of the Provincial Health Commission and staff from the Center also participated in the discussions.

On March 28th, Bi Mingshuai, the Director of the Center, warmly welcomed the British healthcare delegation and introduced the Center's work and achievements. He expressed hope that this visit would enhance the bilateral exchange and training of medical professionals, establish platforms for medical collaboration, foster mutual learning in training programs, and further advance the international cooperation and exchange of healthcare professionals in Sichuan to provide better medical services to the public.

Ray Jie Ma from the British Consulate-General in Chongqing emphasized the consulate's aim to build a bridge of understanding and communication between the UK and Sichuan. He mentioned proactive measures to facilitate exchanges and collaborations between UK institutions and their Chinese counterparts in areas like talent development, medical training, and academic discussions.

Highlighting the Center's commitment to advancing the high-quality development of medical science and education in Sichuan, Bi Mingshuai shared that the Center consistently develops their goals around four main pillars: international frontiers, national key initiatives, public needs, and the healthcare development of both Sichuan and Chongqing. He set a vision for Sichuan's medical research capabilities to reach a 'moderately prosperous' level within 1 to 3 years. This year, he added, the Center will intensify its focus on international horizons, increasing academic exchanges and building platforms for collaborations in academia, education, talent, and technology between Sichuan and other countries.

Jin Hui, the Senior Trade and Investment Officer at the British Consulate-General in Chongqing, emphasized the crucial role of talent and research in promoting international collaborations in the medical field. She voiced the desire to leverage the UK's strengths in medical sciences to foster connections between experts, department heads, and divisions of both regions.

During the meeting, Alice, the CEO of GDK, outlined the prospective areas of collaboration, including both online and offline medical training, medical English training, and research cooperation. Both parties recognised the vast potential for collaborations in the healthcare domain.