Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, which has a history of collaboration with medical schools in France dating back to a century ago, will further expand the depth and breadth of cooperation with the French side in the field of medical education and beyond, said the dean of the school.

The school, where the country's first French class in clinical medicine was set up after China and France officially established diplomatic relations six decades ago, will make efforts to achieve such goals by making full use of its own disciplinary advantages and international influence, said Dean Fan Xianqun, who is also vice-president of SJTU.

"We'll promote in-depth integration of the two nations in the field of medical education, jointly exploring new models of medical talent training, and cultivating more interdisciplinary medical talent who are internationally competitive and excellent in cross-cultural communication skills," said Fan, who is also an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, during the International Symposium on Sino-French Cooperation in Medical Health concluded in Shanghai on Sunday.

The two-day symposium organized by SJTU School of Medicine and Xinmin Evening News and supported by French pharmaceutical company Ipsen was intended to promote the common development of China and France in the medical field through in-depth exchanges and discussions.