On November 20, 2005, Chinese and US heads of state reached consensus on the joint initiative of enhancing bilateral cooperation on the prevention and control of bird flu and formulated a joint document.

The document noted China and the US are committed to preventing the spread of emerging epidemics including the highly pathogenic bird flu, and would like to seek enhanced efforts to prepare, prevent and respond to the potential outbreak of human flu. The two countries agree to enhance joint actions in bilateral, global and regional cooperation on the prevention and control of the disease.

The two sides will strengthen their cooperation between the medical and agricultural departments on the R&D and testing of vaccine and medicine against influenza as well as quick response to the outbreak of influenza so as to increase the two countries' capacity in the discovery, response and control of bird flu.

Both sides will actively support and participate in global cooperation on the prevention and control of bird flu, and support the UN system, especially World Health Organization, UN Food and Agriculture Program and other related international organizations to play their due part. China will continue to support the "International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza" initiated by the US and the US will support China to host the Conference on the Fundraising for the Prevention and Control of Bird Flu next January to discuss the international and regional action plans on the prevention and control of the disease and to mobilize funds. The two countries will maintain close coordination and cooperation to ensure the success of the two global initiatives.

Both sides will actively support and participate in the cooperation on the prevention and control of bird flu in the Asia Pacific region, jointly implement APEC Initiative on the Cooperation on the Prevention and Control of Bird Flu and make good preparations for the organization's High-Level Forum on Emerging Epidemics to be held in China next April.