On the morning of July 12th, a tripartite meeting was held at West China Hospital （WCH） between Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC) from Italy, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai from the United States, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Dr. Edilio Mazzoleni, Director of Global Engagement and International Education at UCSC, Professor Luca Richeldi, Chair of Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences at UCSC, and Professor Charles A. Powell, Chief of the Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division at the Icahn School of Medicine, along with West China Hospital President Luo Fengming and representatives from various departments including Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hematology, Science and Technology Department, Academic Affairs Department, Graduate Department, and International Office attended the meeting. The meeting was presided over by Vice President Wang Kunjie.

President Luo Fengming extended a warm welcome to the representatives and emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the current global healthcare sector. He stated that international academic exchanges and cooperation can advance the development of medical science and technology, serving patients more effectively. Establishing a tripartite partnership and long-term cooperation platform is an essential step in deepening international connections and broadening academic horizons.

Professor Luca Richeldi expressed his anticipation for future cooperation, hoping that joint efforts would deepen collaboration and help young doctors understand global trends to better address significant medical challenges in the future.

Professor Charles A. Powell shared his experience of cooperation with West China Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed his gratitude. He looks forward to expanding and deepening new cooperative ties based on the existing relationship.

During the meeting, the three parties signed a cooperation initiative, agreeing to collaborate in areas such as student exchange and training, summer camps, clinical internships, joint scientific research, postdoctoral visits and exchanges, and clinical case discussions. In addition, they reached a consensus on taking turns to host prestigious academic conferences.

President Luo Fengming presented commemorative plaques of sister departments to Professor Luca Richeldi and Professor Charles A. Powell, marking the official establishment of sister department relationships between the respiratory departments of the three institutions.