China leads world in disease emergency handling capability: former WHO chief

BEIJING -- China's capability in preventing and controlling disease emergencies is leading the world, former director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun said Sunday.

"In the time of globalization, communicable diseases spread very fast and require every country and region to build their capacity and strengthen their health systems to respond," Chan said on the sidelines of the second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference that opened Sunday.

She added that China's two emergency medical teams were among the first to pass the verification of the WHO, demonstrating their world-leading standards.

The WHO has developed the global verification system where emergency medical teams can be classified and ready to be deployed to health emergencies.

The former WHO chief also noted China's remarkable contributions to global health cooperation.

Chan highlighted a memorandum signed during her stint at the WHO between China and the organization on promoting international health cooperation along the Belt and Road.

It demonstrates China's sense of responsibility as a major country, she said.