French Embassy Health Counsellor and Delegation Visit Beijing Children's Hospital

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Beijing Children's Hospital (BCH) welcomed Floriane Bougeard, Counsellor for Health, Social Affairs and Labor at the French Embassy in China, and her delegation on September 16 for discussions on pediatric health cooperation between China and France. Representatives from BCH, the French Embassy and the Beijing Municipal Health Commission discussed child and adolescent mental health, rare diseases, pediatric oncology, research and innovation.

The visit came shortly after a BCH delegation returned from Paris, where the hospital renewed its cooperation framework with Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) and held exchanges with AP-HP institutions and Gustave Roussy. BCH President Ni Xin shared highlights from the visit and outlined BCH's clinical and research strengths as the National Center for Children's Health. Building on the BCH–AP-HP partnership established in 2023 and the recently renewed framework, he highlighted opportunities for further collaboration in rare diseases, child and adolescent mental health, pediatric oncology, artificial intelligence, research, professional exchange, innovative therapies and drug development.

Bougeard welcomed the progress made during the Paris visit and reaffirmed the French Embassy's support for continued engagement. She highlighted opportunities to draw on France's clinical, research and industry resources in areas including rare diseases, pharmaceutical innovation and pediatric oncology, and to strengthen connections across the child health communities in China and France.

Child and adolescent mental health was a major focus of the meeting. Liu Jing, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Division of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, noted that mental health is an important public health priority for both sides. BCH and French mental health specialists exchanged perspectives on integrated approaches to care, emerging interventions and service models, and discussed opportunities for closer professional exchange.

The meeting also explored how BCH could support French children and families living in China. The French delegation expressed interest in establishing efficient referral pathways for children requiring medical care, while BCH expressed its readiness to provide appropriate pediatric services and support.

Following the meeting, the delegation visited BCH's psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine services and international medical services, including outpatient and inpatient facilities. At the National Center for Pediatric Cancer Surveillance, they learned about China's national pediatric cancer surveillance system, its data resources and related research.

Coming immediately after BCH's visit to Paris, the meeting added further momentum to the hospital's engagement with the French health community. BCH will continue to explore collaboration with French partners in child and adolescent mental health, rare diseases, pediatric oncology, research and innovation, while strengthening professional and academic connections across the two countries. 

International Office