Ni hao!

For over three decades, AstraZeneca has been proud to support China's scientific endeavors, investing in the vibrant life sciences ecosystem and harnessing cutting-edge technologies to foster innovation. And throughout this time, I have witnessed China's rise as a global leader in life sciences, making significant contributions to scientific progress and medical breakthroughs.Today, China is home to one of AstraZeneca’s Global R&D Centres, where our researchers in Shanghai are spearheading twenty global clinical trials and advancing over two hundred pipeline projects. We are also working with multiple Chinese biotech companies, supporting their advancement, and fostering innovation and high-quality development to benefit patients in China and worldwide.

And as we support Healthy China 2030, AstraZeneca is collaborating with Chinese medical experts and healthcare providers to transform care for patients living with chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and rare disease. AstraZeneca’s strong foundations in China, skilled R&D team, and globally recognized high-tech manufacturing capabilities, which deliver China-made medicines to over seventy countries, underline our continued commitment. And we have no doubt China will consolidate its position as a global scientific powerhouse and make an even bigger difference for patients around the world in the coming years.

Having had the privilege to participate in the China Development Forum many times, I am always so impressed by the openness and collaborative spirit of the event. At AstraZeneca, we have embraced this spirit to engage in dialogue around pressing global healthcare challenges, share expertise and insights, and help to advance scientific and medical innovations, which promise to make a big difference to the lives of millions of people all over the world. This is what makes the CDF so important and why I look forward to participating again this year.