China in Global Health: Past and Present

Mary Brazelton argues that the territories and peoples associated with China have played a significant role in the emergence of modern international health. Transnational organizations intervened in China due to epidemic outbreaks, shaping strategies for international health. China has also been a space of creativity and reinvention, with administrators developing new health care models during war and revolution. The establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 introduced socialist internationalism and new initiatives in medical diplomacy. The post-socialist transition in 1978 led to new configurations of health governance.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Mary Brazelton contends that the territories and peoples linked to China have played a significant part in the development of modern international health. Transnational organizations intervened in the early twentieth century due to repeated epidemic outbreaks in China, shaping strategies for international health. China has also been a hub of creativity and innovation, with administrators developing new models of health care during decades of war and revolution, while traditional practitioners offered alternatives to Western biomedicine. The establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 marked a new era of socialist internationalism, with initiatives to establish connections across the non-aligned world through medical diplomacy. After 1978, the post-socialist transition led to new configurations of health governance. The rich and diverse history of Chinese involvement in global health provides insights into present-day crises.

ISBN-13: 9781009045667