On May 25^th 2018, Yang Qing, the Director of the Science and Education Department of the National Health Committee of China visited Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

YANG Qing and his colleagues visited Wuhan National Biosafety (P4) Laboratory of CAS and learned about the laboratory’s construction layout, the establishment of the biosafety management system, and participated in the discussion. At the symposium, YANG Qing listened to CHEN Xinwen, the Director General of WIV, about the basic scientific research of the Institute, the major scientific and technological achievements and the development plan. In particular, he listened to the report on the construction and development of the Mega-Science Center on Biosafety.

YANG Qing fully affirmed the important status and role of the Mega-Science Center on Biosafety. He said that the construction of Wuhan P4 laboratory can be described as "a decade of grinding a sword." Faced with the new situation, CAS, the Hubei Provincial Government and the National Health Committee shall rely on the laboratory to integrate facilities and resources, and to build a Mega-Science Center on Biosafety, which will provide irreplaceable support for the development of science and technology in the field of biosafety in China. While leading innovative research in the field of biosafety and public health, it will also significantly improve the national biosafety and emergency control capabilities for infectious disease.

The National Health Committee will, as always, support the work of WIV, jointly promote the establishment of Center, coordinate with each other, and promote the signing and implementation of agreement. YANG Qing stressed that all parties shall be involved in deep participation. By using the operation mode of "co-construction, co-management and sharing", it will inevitably give full play to the advantages of Wuhan P4 laboratory, to better meet the needs of the country, and to make significant contributions to the public health globally.

ZHANG Jin, the Party Secretary of Health and Family Planning Commission of Hubei Province, DU Yun, the Deputy Director General of Science and Technology Department of Hubei Province, and YANG Weijin, the Chief Engineer of Bureau of Facility Support and Budget of CAS attended the symposium.