Chinese research gaining respect

William Summerskill, a senior executive editor at The Lancet in the United Kingdom and an honorary professor at Peking University's People's Hospital.

The Lancet medical journal believes that the best science leads to better lives. We publish almost 200 research articles a year, with priority given to studies that will change clinical care, health policy, or thinking about health.

China ranks third in the number of manuscripts submitted to The Lancet, after the United Kingdom and the United States. During the first six months of this year, about one out of six research publications included a Chinese author.

This represents the high quality of much research in China and the growing trend by Chinese researchers of international collaboration. It also reflects the deep commitment of The Lancet family of 15 medical journals to the health of people in China and our long-standing engagement with academic institutions across the country.

Recent research from China in The Lancet mirrors major health concerns such as aging, hypertension, pollution, smoking and cancer of the lung or liver.

Recently, there has been a welcome rise in health systems research (such as access, quality and finance) informed by the Chinese experience of healthcare reform, and of global health, as a result of China's response to Ebola and the country's expanding international responsibilities.

On my first visit to China in 2007, I wrote "China has the opportunity to lead the world not only in research quantity, but also in quality." This is certainly being realized.

The Lancet's Beijing office is supporting health professionals in China to help that happen, as well as to facilitate major studies that include health in China's cities, maternal and child well-being, and reform of primary care.

William Summerskill spoke with Li Hongyang.