Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted a meeting with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in Beijing, according to a report by state television CCTV. Gates arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday

night and expressed his intention to meet with partners from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to discuss matters related to health and development.

In a significant announcement, the foundation declared its commitment to support China's efforts in combating malaria and tuberculosis by donating $50 million (approximately €45 million). This contribution aims to strengthen ongoing initiatives in China and foster collaboration with the Global Health Drug Discovery Institute (GHDDI), an organization established by Gates in China. Additionally, partnerships will be extended with Beijing municipal authorities and officials at Tsinghua University.

During a speech delivered at the GHDDI on Thursday, Gates acknowledged the remarkable progress China has made in poverty reduction and healthcare improvement within the country. He expressed his hopes that China could assume an even greater role in addressing contemporary challenges, particularly those faced by African nations.

China's decision to shift from its zero-Covid policy and reopen its borders has attracted various business leaders, including the CEOs of Starbucks and General Motors, who have recently visited China to engage with government representatives. These meetings highlight the growing importance of cooperation between China and international stakeholders in advancing global health and development objectives. Photo by Kentaro Iemoto from Tokyo, Japan, Wikimedia commons.