The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that it has signed a revised memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission to cooperate on healthcare.

Under the revision, the two nations will cooperate in healthcare areas of mutual interests, including healthcare policy, universal healthcare, information, and communications technology (ICT) utilization in traditional healthcare systems, traditional medicine, patient safety, mental health and healthy aging.

The two ministries also designated specific areas of cooperation for the prevention and management of infectious diseases, a serious threat to global health and security, and the prevention and control of cancer, the first cause of death in both countries.

Regarding cancer prevention and management, the ministry proposed to utilize the national cancer centers in the two countries to uncover and carry out cooperation projects.

“The combination of Korea's cancer management policy experience and excellent cancer treatment technology and China's abundant clinical cases and the potential for health industry development is expected to generate great synergy in the future development of healthcare in both countries,” Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo said.

Korea expects that through this MOU amendment a concrete action plan will be formed to expand and deepen the cooperation of the two countries and improve the health of the people, Park added. The health-welfare minister was accompanying President Moon Jae-in in the state visit to China.

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