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XI’AN, China: Bangladesh has proposed the creation of a Digital Health Silk Road to promote equitable access to technology-driven healthcare for developing countries, calling for stronger global cooperation in digital health, artificial intelligence and technology sharing.
Speaking at the Digital and Intelligent Health Forum in Xi’an on Wednesday as part of the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Digital Silk Road Development Forum, Posts, Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam described digital healthcare as “a lifeline rather than a luxury” for developing nations.
The forum also marked the inauguration of the Working Group on Digital and Intelligent Health at the Xi’an International Convention Center.
The minister said Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is pursuing an inclusive digital transformation to ensure that no one is left behind. He highlighted the government’s plan to establish a Unified Digital Health System, linking healthcare facilities from remote rural communities to major urban hospitals.
He said the proposed National Health Card would allow physicians to securely access patients’ medical records from anywhere in the country, enabling more efficient and equitable healthcare services regardless of location.
Referring to his recent remarks at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Anam stressed the importance of international collaboration on technology transfer, capacity building, data sovereignty and fair access to advanced technologies for developing countries.
To advance the proposed Digital Health Silk Road, he outlined three priorities: knowledge and technology transfer, international interoperability and common technical standards, and human-centred, ethical innovation.
He also identified security, equity, adaptability and international cooperation as the four guiding principles for global digital health governance.
Drawing a parallel with the historic Silk Road, the minister said that while the ancient route connected civilizations through trade, knowledge and healing, a modern Digital Health Silk Road should link hospitals, researchers, healthcare professionals and patients across borders through digital technologies.
Bangladesh, he added, is ready to become a trusted partner in the initiative through joint research, capacity building and digital health cooperation with Silk Road partner countries.
The forum brought together representatives from China’s Cyberspace Administration, the Shaanxi Provincial Government, the World Health Organization (WHO), international organizations, policymakers and technology leaders to discuss AI-powered healthcare, medical data governance, digital innovation and cross-border collaboration.
Held on July 21-22, the 2026 WIC Digital Silk Road Development Forum also attracted ministers and experts from Cambodia, Algeria, Zambia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Russia, Brazil and several other countries.
According to Chinese state media, the newly launched WIC Working Group on Digital and Intelligent Health will serve as a key digital cooperation platform under China’s broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).