As chronic respiratory diseases, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), have become global public health challenges, ways on how to combat them need to be explored to better improve people's health thus boosting the Healthy China Initiative, a medical expert has said in Beijing.

Speaking at an international forum, Professor Chen Rongchang from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University said advances in respiratory immunology have deepened people's understanding of chronic airway diseases and propelled breakthroughs in precision therapy.

Chen was speaking at the Respiratory Immunology International Summit, organized by the Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Promotion Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and supported by Sanofi China, to mark the 23rd World COPD Day and the release of the 2025 GOLD Report.

China is advancing the Healthy China Initiative because people's health is a key indicator of a prosperous nation and a strong country.

Professor Guo Yanfei from Beijing Hospital emphasized that adopting a "treatable traits" strategy could be a new direction for precision exploration.

While highlighting the global burden of COPD, Professor Wen Fuqiang from West China Hospital of Sichuan University identified three major challenges in China's COPD management — adherence to long-term medication, patient's insufficient inspiratory flow and hand-mouth coordination and limitations of existing medications.

He called for the development of innovative treatment in the fight against COPD.

As a prestigious academic event, the forum brought together leading experts in the respiratory field from around the world, engaged hundreds of respiratory physicians on-site and 14,000 scholars online. The theme for this year's World COPD Day is "Know Your Lung Function".

The event marked a significant step forward in advancing academic exchange and clinical practice in respiratory health, representing a new phase for respiratory immunotherapy in China.