The visit was made at the invitation of the Chinese National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) with an aim to developing universal health insurance, health insurance regimes and long-term health care for the elderly in the context of population aging.

According to the Vietnamese Embassy in China, this is the first ministerial-level working delegation of Vietnam to visit China following the success of the State visit made by Party General Secretary, President To Lam to China in August 2024.

The VSS delegation held working sessions with the NHSA, National Health Commission, and National Medical Products Administration of China in Beijing on specialised health insurance themes.

They discussed the development of universal health insurance, organisational model, decentralised management of health insurance implementation in China, long-term health insurance regime for the elderly, payment methods and management of health insurance funds.

The development of health insurance drug list, bidding methods, national centralised procurement of drugs and medical supplies paid by health insurance, management and supervision of drug quality were also among the discussion topics.

Both sides attach importance to and wish to further expand cooperation in health insurance in particular and social security in general on the basis of common awareness, following high-level agreements between the leaders of the two Parties and the two countries reached during recent visits for practical benefits, health care and social security for the people of the two countries.

The VSS delegation holds a working session with the NHSA of China

The NHSA of China is a government agency in charge of State management. It is authorised to build and implement policies and laws on health insurance; supervise the health insurance fund; manage drug and medical supplies and service prices covered by health insurance.

It is also responsible for bidding and centralised national procurement of drugs and medical supplies nationwide, as well as monitoring information, supervising payments from the health insurance fund.

During a working session on September 26, Yan Qinghui, deputy commissioner of the NHSA, briefed the VSS delegation on the NHSA’s organisational structure, functions and tasks at the central and local levels.

He said the average Chinese population's coverage for health insurance has stabilised at above 97 per cent. The Chinese multi-layered health insurance system includes the base level of health insurance for the poor, social protection beneficiaries with State support costs.

There are 370 million participants in the basic level of compulsory health insurance for employees and civil servants, and 960 million members in the supplementary level of voluntary health insurance for those living in urban and rural areas, he said.

The sum of China's insurance fund is close to 5 trillion yuan or roughly about VND18 quadrillion.

The NHSA of China has issued a list of health insurance drugs including 3,088 types of traditional and western medicines.

By allowing bidding and centralising the large-scale procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, it has considerably lowered the cost of these items that are covered by health insurance, optimising and enhancing the effectiveness of the health insurance fund.

The VSS delegation holds a working session with the NHSA of China

Over 400,000 medical examination and treatment centres, as well as pharmacies, are connected to its centralised health insurance data system nationally. It contributes to the strengthening of the management and control of health insurance payment expenses by continuously updating data to the system in real-time every five minutes.

In order to enhance the effectiveness of managing health insurance funds and the standard of public health care, the NHSA of China wishes to exchange knowledge and technological resources with the VSS.

The suggestion was welcomed by VSS deputy general director Nguyen Duc Hoa, who also forwarded the VSS general director's invitation to the administration’s leaders to visit Vietnam in order to continue discussing potential areas of cooperation.

NHSA deputy commissioner Yan Qinghui accepted the invitation.

On August 27, 2024, the VSS delegation had a working session with the China’s National Health Commission – a Government agency in charge of the State health management and developing laws and regulations on national health policies, public health strategies, disease prevention, response to population aging, and health care for the elderly.

The delegation was briefed on China’s ageing population with over 300 million elderly people, rapid aging and low birth rate.

Given this fact, there is an immediate need to provide long-term health care, particularly for the elderly who have chronic illnesses with underlying conditions. All of them need routine physical examinations, with screening for common diseases beginning at the primary care level. This will lessen the strain on tertiary care facilities, save down on long-term care expenses, and increase the effectiveness of the health insurance fund.

China’s long-term health insurance programme is being piloted in 49 cities with more than 180 million participants.

In August 27’s afternoon, the VSS working delegation visited the National Medical Products Administration of China - a Government agency responsible for managing, registering, granting licenses and supervising the use of drugs, medical equipment, supplies, and cosmetics.

The delegation gained knowledge of Chinese drug and medical supply management rules and procedures, as well as the management and oversight of drug quality in accordance with international standards.

The VSS delegation visits the National Medical Products Administration of China

The delegation also visited the Sichuan Provincial Health Commission in Chengdu city and conducted a field survey in Qingyang district, Chengdu Orthopedic Hospital, and Chengdu Medical College’s Hospital.

The Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and administration pay special attention to the development of health insurance, considering it one of the 30 key tasks of the province.

Thanks to direction, Sichuan Province's health insurance coverage rate has surpassed the national average in recent years, with almost 97 per cent of the population covered.

 The VSS delegation works with the Vietnamese Embassy in China

Welcoming the VSS delegation to the Vietnamese Embassy in China in Beijing, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai gave an overview of the relationship between Vietnam and China after 15 years since the two countries established the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership in 2008.

The partnership has been developing in a practical and effective direction with the motto "friendly neighbours, comprehensive cooperation, long-term stability, looking towards the future" and the spirit of "good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, good partners" agreed by the senior leaders of the two countries.

The success of the State visit made by Party General Secretary, President To Lam to China in August 2024 affirmed that the stable, friendly, sustainable and long-term bilateral relationship has been growing at a profound, comprehensive and practical level, she said.

The VSS deputy general director Hoa delivered thankfulness to the ambassador and the embassy’s staff for their enthusiastic support.

In order to improve collaboration between the VSS and Chinese partner agencies in the areas of health insurance in particular and social security in general, he stated his desire to continue receiving attention and support from the Vietnamese Embassy in China.

At the headquarters of the National Health Security Administration of China with the motto “Serving the People”.

The VSS delegation offers flowers at the late President Ho Chi Minh’s statue.

Delegates from the VSS and the National Health Security Administration of China pose for a group photo.

Visiting Chengdu Orthopedic Hospital, Sichuan Province.

Visiting the Health Security Agency of Qingyang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province.