China’s Health Silk Road

In the fourth instalment of his ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ series, Gerald Chan provides a critical analysis of China’s vaccine diplomacy. Locating it within China’s wider infrastructure development strategy, Chan deploys geo-developmentalism as a theoretical tool to analyse its contribution to a new global health order, particularly with the pandemic pushing the country to the forefront of vaccine exportation.

This timely book considers the contention between patient rights and patent rights, and the position of China in this debate as a relative latecomer to the global health game. Chan covers the infrastructural and digital innovations involved in recent health initiatives; moving on to unravel Sino-US rivalry and what this means for global health development; and assess the export of healthcare to Africa. Ultimately, this innovative study argues that China’s tilt towards providing life saving drugs over the rights of patent holders will lead to better healthcare for the global poor.



Providing a fresh perspective on China’s unfolding diplomatic strategies, China’s Health Silk Road will appeal to students and scholars of international relations, global development, Asian politics and health policy. Furthermore, it will prove crucial reading for policy-makers and think tank analysts looking to better understand Sino-American relations and global health.