Following the success of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) lecture tour in China last November, IDF launched a second scientific exchange tour across the region, led by Professor Rayaz Malik, Diabetes Complications Stream Lead for the IDF Congress 2027.
The tour took place between 24-28 May and engaged more than 200 healthcare professionals onsite across three major Chinese cities. The sessions attracted more than 2000 healthcare professionals online. This initiative strengthens scientific collaboration and reinforces partnerships across the Western Pacific, the region with the highest global burden of diabetes.
The tour began on 24 May with a keynote lecture by Professor Malik at the Peking University Diabetes Forum, hosted by Professor Linong Ji. His presentation examined the latest evidence and future directions for tackling one of the most common and debilitating complications of diabetes.
The programme also included dedicated scientific sessions in Beijing, Hangzhou and Nanjing under the theme, “Focus on primary care, working together for progress: IDF in China – a programme to promote diabetes prevention and control in primary care”. The sessions highlighted the IDF Clinical Practice Recommendations for Managing Type 2 Diabetes (2025), designed to support healthcare professionals across a wide range of clinical settings worldwide.
During his presentations, Professor Malik emphasised that the IDF Recommendations have been developed for people living with diabetes around the world and therefore take into account the significant differences in healthcare resources between countries and regions.
Engaging with leading Chinese diabetes experts
Leading Chinese experts also contributed to the sessions, presenting the latest evidence on metformin’s cardiovascular benefits in the era of cardiovascular outcomes trials (CVOTs). Discussions explored metformin’s enduring role as a foundation therapy, its accessibility in primary care, and its place within integrated diabetes management pathways.
Alongside the scientific programme, Professor Malik met with leading Chinese diabetes specialists, including Professors Tianpei Hong, Jiaqian Zhou and Qian Li, to exchange perspectives on diabetes prevention, comprehensive diabetes management and advances in diabetic neuropathy care. He also presented on corneal confocal microscopy (CCM), an emerging non-invasive imaging technique for assessing diabetic neuropathy, which attracted considerable interest from clinicians.
Overall, the second IDF Scientific Exchange Tour reinforced a shared commitment to improving diabetes prevention and care, strengthening scientific diplomacy and fostering international collaboration across the Western Pacific region.
