Remarks by H.E. Wen Jiabao
Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
At the Launch of the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's
Health At the UN High-level Plenary Meeting on the MDGs

New York, 22 September 2010

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me begin by thanking Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for inviting me to this launching event of the global strategy for women's and children's health. This UN-initiated strategy reflects the importance and care that the international community gives to women and children. I wish to express, on behalf of the Chinese government, support for the strategy and appreciation to the Secretary-General for his efforts.

The Chinese government always places women's and children's health high on its agenda. We have signed several UN conventions on the protection of women and children and adopted the program on women's and children's development, the law on maternal and infant health care and the law on the protection of the youth, providing a legal framework for our work in this area. Today, a fairly comprehensive women's and children's health care network covering both urban and rural areas has been put in place in China, with over 3,000 health care agencies and more than 500,000 professionals. With relentless efforts, China has made important progress toward the UN Millennium Development Goals concerning women's and children's health. By 2009, China's maternal mortality rate and under-five mortality rate had declined by 66.4% and 71.8% from the 1990 levels respectively. We launched an all-round reform in the pharmaceutical and health care system in 2009 with a view to establishing a basic medical and health care system that delivers services to all urban and rural residents. In addition, childbirth-related hospital stay subsidy for rural women, regular check-up of cervical and breast cancer, birth defect prevention, regular health examination of children and the national immunization program have all been incorporated into the framework of national basic public health services. Implementation of these projects will help bring the major diseases and risks threatening women's and children's health under more effective control and raise the level of women's and children's health in China.

As a big, populous developing country, China has the largest women and children community in the world. We will fulfill the government's responsibility and do everything we can to ensure the health of women and children. The Chinese government is confident that the UN MDGs will be achieved in China as scheduled. At the same time, China will continue to discharge its international responsibility and actively engage in international cooperation on improving women's and children's health.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Women's and children's health is the shared cause and common responsibility of the entire mankind. There are still women and children living in dire poverty in this world and this always weighs heavily on my mind.

Here, I wish to call upon the international community to make greater efforts in the following areas:

First, counter the global financial crisis in all respects and promote the sustainable world economic recovery, and provide solid economic support to developing countries as they endeavor to eradicate poverty and improve women's and children's health.

Second, ease regional tensions, remove the threat of war and act together to uphold world peace and stability so that women and children will no longer be subjected to the scourge of war.

Third, increase government input, strengthen disease prevention and treatment and intensify relevant international cooperation. Developed countries should honor in good faith their commitments and provide more financial and technical assistance. Developing countries need to build up capacity in improving women's and children's health and make higher-quality medical services available to women and children.

Fourth, eliminate gender-based discrimination, promote gender equality and create more jobs for women. It is particularly important to give special care to those women and children living in extreme difficulty.

To make the above objectives a reality, we need to deepen and expand international cooperation, increase communication, consultation and dialogue, and create a more favorable environment and better conditions for the cause of women's and children's health.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Women's and children's health is crucial to the development of every country, every nation and the entire humanity.

Women's and children's health is a must if we are to embrace a bright future.

Let us work together to advance this cause.

Thank you.