Cambodia Outlines Three Priorities for ASEAN-China Health Cooperation

Dr. Chheang Ra, Minister of Health of Cambodia, shared Cambodia's three key priorities for cooperation with China within the ASEAN-China framework during the 10th ASEAN-China Health Ministers' Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 11, 2026. These priorities are particularly significant for Cambodia and require stronger collaboration with the People's Republic of China. The first priority is to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially cancer. This involves a focus on implementing all stages of care, from prevention, timely detection, diagnosis, treatment, to rehabilitation. The second priority is to strengthen the health information system, which is a crucial task in the health sector for collecting, analyzing, and utilizing data effectively for policy-making and public health decision-making. The third priority is to improve maternal and child health through the ASEAN-China Cooperation Center for Maternal and Child Health. This center serves as a regional platform for cooperation, capacity building, and knowledge sharing, and is a valuable asset in addressing shared ASEAN-China health and demographic challenges. Dr. Chheang Ra commended the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China for reaffirming its strong commitment to health cooperation with the ASEAN community, a commitment also affirmed at the 5th China-ASEAN Health Cooperation Forum held in Nanning in September 2025 under the Health Silk Road framework. He further emphasized that comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated cooperation approaches would yield beneficial decisions in strengthening health systems, promoting health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Through robust "ASEAN-China cooperation," the ASEAN community can better build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable health systems for the shared benefit and well-being of the peoples of ASEAN and China.