Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Dec 6, 2025
Date Accepted: Jun 26, 2026
Data-Driven Healthy China Pathway: Evolution, Framework, and Global Implications of National Digital Health Strategic Planning
ABSTRACT
Amid the global acceleration of digital health transformation, China has pioneered a distinctive state-centric model, constructing a highly centralized yet scalable “Data-Driven Healthy China Pathway.” This viewpoint systematically analyzes the evolution of China’s national digital health strategies across three consecutive five-year plans (2016–2025), explicating the transition from static periodic planning to a Hybrid Continuous Planning Framework (HCPF) characterized by “strategic stability” and “tactical agility.” We highlight the framework’s pronounced advantages in large-scale data governance, interdepartmental coordination, and rapid pandemic response. However, we also critically examine persistent challenges, including the “burden of agility” on grassroots institutions, data privacy concerns, and implementation disparities. Ultimately, we propose the HCPF as a reference paradigm for global digital health governance, offering actionable insights for policymakers worldwide seeking to harmonize centralized strategy with agile implementation.
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