China's Health-First Development Strategy: From Policy Vision to Implementation

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 15 per cent of a population's long-term health prospects are determined by individual biological characteristics, 17 per cent by environmental factors, 60 per cent by behaviour and lifestyle, and just 8 per cent by healthcare system interventions. As the national leadership continues to deepen its understanding of these health determinants, increasingly targeted policies are being introduced in support of China's 'Health-First' strategy.

The Rise of 'Health-First'

The Third Plenum of the 20th Central Committee formally introduced the 'Health-First Development Strategy.' This marked a shift from conceptual advocacy—dating back to 2016, when health was designated as a strategic priority—to institutionalised implementation in 2024. The strategy was further elevated during the 2025 Two Sessions, where it was included for the first time in the Government Work Report, establishing it as the top reform priority in public health.

At the 2025 China Development Forum (CDF) Annual Meeting, held shortly after the Two Sessions, the National Health Commission (NHC) hosted a roundtable titled 'Implementing the Health-First Development indicated that 'Health-First' had become the new focal point for high-level policy discourse. This marked a clear shift from the 2023 CDF Annual Meeting, where the NHC's closed-door roundtable focused on 'Promoting High-Quality Development of the Health Industry and Supporting the Healthy China Initiative.' The progression from 'Healthy China' to 'Health-First' signals a broader strategic reorientation—placing health itself, rather than the health industry, at the centre of policymaking.

Embedding Health in Every Policy

Following the Third Plenum, the NHC outlined the next steps for turning the 'Health-First' strategy into action, calling for stronger policies and regulations to ensure health is prioritised in planning, investment, and governance. It urged local authorities to make public health a core objective in economic and social policymaking.

In 2025, Hainan Province took the lead in implementing the 'Health-First' Strategy by issuing the Implementation Plan for Integrating Health into All Policies. The plan outlines three key comprehensive 'Health in All Policies' framework by clarifying leadership responsibilities and putting effective operational mechanisms in place. Hainan also strengthened its health investment strategies and promoted the integration of health considerations into all aspects of urban and rural planning, construction, and governance.

Following this, Jiangxi Province issued the Opinions on Integrating Health into All Policies, calling for the integration of health principles into political, economic, cultural, social, and ecological development. The document also aimed to strengthen health-first approaches to planning, investment, and governance, with a particular focus on establishing a stable financing mechanism to support effective health governance.

Recommendations for Enterprises

The introduction of the 'Health-First' Development Strategy has become a central focus in health communication and signals the growing importance of health to China's economic and social agenda. Enterprises are advised to closely monitor policy trends, leverage policy language to strengthen communication strategies, and pay attention to the implementation of relevant local policies—especially around health governance investment—to better align their business strategies and seize emerging opportunities.