China and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a memorandum in Geneva on Tuesday to strengthen and widen exchanges and cooperation in the health area.

The memo was signed at the Palais des Nations by WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook and Chinese Executive Vice Minister of Health Gao Qiang, who led a Chinese delegation at the 57th conference of the World Health Assembly.

The memo will enhance cooperation and exchanges in the fields of public health policy, control of grave infectious diseases, prevention of non-infectious diseases, traditional medicine, medical human resources and related areas.

The signing of the memo brings the cooperation between China and WHO to a new stage, and adds new content to it, said Gao.

Both sides have a strong desire to strengthen cooperation and the memo provides legal basis for enhancing the collaboration, he added.

Lee Jong-wook said WHO, which is one of the best friends of China at present and will always be in the future, hopes to keep promoting cooperation with the country.

The Chinese Health Ministry and WHO have signed three agreements before -- in 1978, 1982 and 1983 respectively -- on health technologies and medical activities.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2004)