On March 17, 2017, witnessed by Academician Zhu Chen, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, and Academician Kaixian Chen, a total of 14 scientists from China, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong SAR, and Macau SAR executed a consensus document to formally launch the “Asia-Pacific Network on Drug and Diagnostics Innovation (AP-NDI)”.

All of scientists participated the 2-days’ meeting of The 2017 Queenstown Molecular Biology (Shanghai), and back to back meeting of the 6th Meeting of Chinese Network for Drug and Diagnostics Innovation (China NDI). In the meeting, participants appreciated the achievements implemented by China NDI which was founded 8 years ago, particularly the working model and innovative mechanism of China NDI has provided a model to the Asia-Pacific region. This model is encouraging scientists from all countries of the Asia-Pacific region to better conduct the innovative research in the way of cooperation, coherence and coordination in order to control and eliminate the neglected tropical diseases. Therefore, a consensus was made by scientists from 14 countries to establish the AP-NDI, with its secretariat located in Shanghai co-supported by Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, CAS, and the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, China CDC.

In the launching ceremony, Academician Zhu Chen highly appreciated the great achievements of Chinese control and elimination programme on tropical diseases, and launching the AP-NDI proposed by Chinese scientists to promote the research efforts on tropical disease control in the Asia-Pacific region. He expected more progress can be made in a way of research efforts driving the progress of disease control under the “belt and road initiatives”, which finally leading the global networking efforts in tropical diseases in the future. Dr. Xiao-Nong Zhou, Director of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, China CDC, chaired the launching ceremony. He also signed the consensus document on behalf of scientists from China.