The InterAcademy Partnership for Health (IAP for Health or IAP-H) held a general meeting in Incheon, South Korea on April 11, 2019 when Liu Depei, former vice president of the CAE, former president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and a medical molecular biologist, was re-elected as co-chairman of the IAP-H. It is his second successful election since he became the first Chinese scholar in the position in 2016.

Founded in May 2000, the IAP-H is one of the most important international organizations in the field of medicine and health. It is currently composed of academies in medical science, as well as medical-related divisions at academies of sciences or academies of engineering from 81 countries and regions. Its purpose is to promote and strengthen cooperation on major global medical and health issues among academies of medical science around the world, and discuss global health issues from a scientific perspective. The CAE is a founding member of the organization and the re-election of Liu demonstrates China’s influence in the international science and technology community.

The IAP-H implements a dual-chairperson system, electing one chairperson from low- and middle-income countries and another from high-income countries. In addition to Liu, the other chairman elected at this time was Dr. Margaret Hamburg, former Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. She is currently President of the Board of Directors of the AAAS and the foreign secretary of the National Academy of Medicine.