Amid deepening medical cooperation between China and Tonga, a ceremony was held on Monday at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University to celebrate the recovery and discharge of the first group of Tongan patients referred to China for treatment. This event marks the first institutional patient referral cooperation between China and a Pacific Island country, representing a new milestone in practical medical collaboration.

The first group of eight Tongan patients arrived in Shandong in July and have now fully recovered after receiving treatment, including bypass surgery and medication, at Qilu Hospital. This collaborative effort began earlier this year with a video conference in March between the Tongan Ministry of Health and Shandong officials, which led to a memorandum of understanding signed in May.

This initiative is part of a broader effort by the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center, which was established in Shandong in 2022. The center launched a program to integrate provincial medical resources for health cooperation with Pacific Island countries. To date, Shandong has sent six medical teams to Tonga.

During the event, both sides exchanged views on future cooperation in telemedicine and doctor training. President of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Chen Yuguo, presented a commemorative gift for international exchange to Tongan Ambassador to China Tau'aika 'Uta'atu, further conveying the strong shared desire to build a closer health community. Also in attendance were Tonga's Chief Executive Officer for Health Doctor Reynold Ofanoa and representatives of the patients' families.