Dong Jiahong, president of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that chronic liver diseases typically require interventions throughout the full life cycle, including surgical procedures at major hospitals and rehabilitation and long-term management at grassroots clinics.

Dong said the hospital has established community healthcare service centers directly managed by the hospital and connected to its critical disease treatment center to enhance patient treatment outcomes and improve their quality of life.

Wei, the association's president, added that the meeting also featured discussions on the challenges facing the Asia-Pacific and global issues in combating viral hepatitis, as well as the latest research findings on the concept of "functional cure" for hepatitis B — reducing the viral load to undetectable levels.

The meeting also hosted forums to share Chinese experiences in preventing and treating hepatitis B, as well as initiatives aimed at enhancing understanding of metabolic-associated fatty liver diseases.

Tian Zhaosen contributed to this story.