Global experts explore digital and intelligent health at WIC forum in Xi'an

The Digital and Intelligent Health Forum, part of the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Digital Silk Road Development Forum, was held in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, on July 22.

Under the theme "Digital and Intelligent Integration for Health — Building a New Cooperative Ecosystem for Health Innovation," the forum aimed to pool global wisdom, drive deep integration of digital and intelligent technologies with health-oriented sectors, and foster an open, collaborative, and win-win innovation ecosystem.

The event featured addresses by Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC; Cui Jian, vice-minister of the General Administration of Sport of China; Zhang Donggang, secretary of the CPC Committee of Renmin University of China; Faqir Mahbub Anam, minister of posts, telecommunications and information technology and minister of science and technology of Bangladesh; Min Zeyar Hlaing, deputy minister of digital development and communications of Myanmar; and Wang Wenjun, deputy commissioner of the National Healthcare Security Administration of China.

During the keynote session, speakers from various backgrounds exchanged insights on a range of topics.

Centered on "Health Innovation Cooperation and Ecosystem Building Driven by Digital Integration," the speakers underscored the profound transformation that digital intelligence technologies are bringing to global health governance and industrial ecosystems, explored ways to break down policy, data, and technology barriers through open collaboration, and called for an inclusive innovation ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders.

They included Francis Gurry, vice-chair of the WIC; Zhao Jing, deputy director of the National Institute of Hospital Administration under the National Health Commission; Hu Jianping, vice-president of the Chinese Health Information and Big Data Association; and Liao Jieyuan, chairman of WeDoctor Group.

Turning to the practical empowerment of health services, Nii Narku Quaynor, chairman of Ghana Dot Com Ltd; Gao Xuecheng, secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of China-Japan Friendship Hospital; and Tang Guohai, founder of Keeson Technology Corporation Limited, shared their insights on how digital tools can enhance service delivery in resource-constrained settings, discussed the upgrade of institutional capabilities, highlighted the expansion of everyday health management scenarios, and illustrated how single-point technological breakthroughs can evolve into broad industry-wide collaboration.

Concerning AI-enabled innovative health applications, Ma Xiaowu, executive vice-president of QingSong Health Corporation; Ding Fengli, CIO of Dong-E-E-Jiao (China Resources Pharmaceutical Group); Yang Yang, director of Group Office and head of Group AI Strategy at Hansoh Pharma; and Wang Zunlong, head of Brand Publicity and ESG and chief compliance officer of Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group, shared case studies in traditional Chinese medicine and innovative drug R&D, and offered their respective views on the industry pathways and sustainable development directions for AI-powered health innovation.

Shaanxi's accomplishments were highlighted in the final session, where Su Bin, chairman of Taoding Digital Technology; Zhou Qin, vice-president of the Hospital of Stomatology under Xi'an Jiaotong University; and Wu Degang, director of the Shaanxi Provincial Health Information Center, presented the province's robust practices in building high-quality medical datasets and advancing the integration of medical AI.

The forum also featured the establishment ceremony of the WIC Working Group on Digital and Intelligent Health, officially inaugurating the new body. The ceremony was moderated by Wu Lili, program producer of Phoenix TV.

The forum was hosted by the WIC and co-organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Health Commission and the Shaanxi Provincial Internet Information Office. About 100 representatives from government agencies, international organizations, medical institutions, research institutes, and technology and pharmaceutical companies attended the event.