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Table 1 The Pearl River Declaration, Guangzhou, China, 24 November 2019

From: The Pearl River Declaration: a timely call for enhancing health security through fostering a regional one health collaboration in the Asia-Pacific

Five years ago, we gathered together in Guangzhou to discuss the way forward in bringing about One Health in China. Over the next 5 years, we held the first China One Health Symposium where we signed the Yuexiu Mountain Declaration, setting up the first One Health Research Center, and assembling the “China One Health League”, marking a substantial step forward for the One Health research in China. Since then, we have made great progress, with substantial efforts to accelerate the construction of an interdisciplinary, multisectoral, cross regional international collaborative platform for One Health, helping to move One Health from concept to practice. Although we have made great strides, much remains to be done.

In this second decade of the twenty-first century, the world is undergoing complex changes that pose enormous challenges to human health worldwide. This is marked by the cross-species transmission of pathogens, intensive agriculture, the overuse of antibiotics, and environmental and food pollution. It has been reported that over 70 % of emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses, while multi-drug and super-drug resistant bacterial pathogens constantly emerge, and there are increasingly frequent food-borne diseases and food safety incidents. As China seeks to contribute to building a shared future for all of the

world through its Belt and Road initiative, by supporting the construction of Greater Bay Area, and by enhancing economic globalization, it faces complex challenges from public health, veterinary health and environmental health, as well as food safety. These problems cannot be solved by single department or discipline. Thus. we must tackle the world’s health issues through the One Health approach.

China’s One Health action has entered a new stage. We must now foster good regional leadership, and focus on expanding, developing and strengthening the One Health Cooperation Network in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. We can continue to improve this platform and make it more efficient by strengthening our ties within this region. This will enhance our ability to carry out comprehensive, cooperative research. China and Southeast Asia should coordinate their efforts to build a shared future, by establishing ongoing One Health training courses, jointly cultivating young talent, creating efficient information exchange networks, and sharing information and resources, so that together we can face and meet the world’s health challenges.

Mountains and seas are no obstacle to people with the same aspirations. The development of China’s One Health benefits from full openness and active communication. In the future, communication and cooperation should be carried out at a higher level, with a broader scope and in a wider range of fields. We will firmly and steadily promote One Health to achieve concrete outcomes. With water-like persistence and kindness, we will encourage people’s trust in and support for One Health. We will learn from the international One Health movement and take its momentum forth, sharing its ideas to benefit our neighbors, and the world.

We have only one planet, and we live together in one world. Let us work together to create ONE WORLD, ONE HEALTH.