The China-UK Global Health Support Programme: looking for new roles and partnerships in changing times

China’s engagement in global affairs has changed substantially in the 2010s. One aspect of the country’s global reorientation has been its increased interest in, and willingness to play a role in, global health. In the early 2010s, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) initiated a collaboration with the Chinese government on a programme to support the country to play a greater and more effective global role in health and explore how the UK and China could work together on issues of key concern and contribute to improved global development outcomes. The programme worked with key Chinese agencies to carry out capacity building, support analysis of China’s approaches to engagement in global health governance and assistance, and provide support to government decision making. It also trialled several small-scale interventions in third countries through which Chinese agencies gained experience of working on health programmes overseas. The article reports on the main findings of an evaluation commissioned by DFID to learn from the programme. The programme provided support at a key time in China’s global reorientation; however, there is a need for continued development of capacity and systems for China to play the role envisaged by the country’s leadership. There is also a need for continued exploration on the part of China and partners of how to effectively collaborate to support improved global outcomes.