BEIJING - Vice-Premier Li Keqiang said that China will deepen its cooperation with other BRICS countries in a letter of congratulations written to commemorate the first BRICS Health Ministers Meeting, which was held in Beijing on Monday.

Li said that increased cooperation is the best way for the international community to achieve equality in health care and respond to public health emergencies.

Li said the theme of the meeting, "Global Health Access to Medicine," is directly related to the health of people living in BRICS countries. Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa and China are home to 43 percent of the world's population.

China has been working to reform its health care system since 2009 and is currently striving to establish a basic health insurance network and make health care accessible and affordable, Li said. He added that China still has a long way to go in establishing universal health care coverage.

Li said China is ready to share its experiences in health care reform with other countries.

The meeting was attended by the health ministers of all five BRICS countries, as well as by Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization and Michel Sidib, executive director of UNAIDS.