China values highly the important role the World Health Organization (WHO) plays, and supports the WHO in implementing goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, President Xi Jinping told the WHO Director-General Margaret Chan in Beijing on Monday.

Xi said that China supports actively the WHO in promoting the implementation of health-related goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at global, regional and national levels, and is willing to carry out medical and health cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiatives.

Pointing out that the WHO is playing a more and more important role in coping with epidemics timely and effectively and in coordinating global health affairs, Xi said that China and the WHO have been carrying out concrete cooperation over a wide range of issues, including the prevention and treatment of epidemics.

Xi said the Chinese government attaches great importance to its people's health and has obtained important progress in fields including improving the universal health insurance coverage system and promoting equalization of basic medical and public health service.

The Chinese government is working on a medium-to-long term plan for health development, Xi said.

Margaret Chan said the WHO praises the important contribution the Chinese government has made to international affairs, especially global health cooperation, and that China has played a leading role in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Chan said China's Belt and Road initiatives are insightful and provide a new mode for global cooperation and global governance under the new circumstances, and that it is impressive that China has implemented the Millennium Development Goals ahead of time, achieved universal health insurance coverage and been actively pushing forward medical reforms.

She said the WHO is willing to strengthen cooperation with China and continue to stick to the One-China policy.