Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan visited a cancer and deadly infection research center in Seattle on Wednesday.

Peng was warmly welcomed by Gary Gilliland, director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, along with Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, and Melodee Hanes, wife of US Ambassador to China Max Baucus.

Established in 1972, the center has three Nobel Prize winners and is a leading cancer research center. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the major source of funding for the center.

Peng was greeted at the center and briefed about its work by by Linda Buck, who won the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

She also talked with Chinese and American experts from the center, who explained it has focused on cancer research, HIV and other deadly infections since being established 40 years ago. Peng also visited the center's vaccine and infectious disease department and its HIV virus lab.

"The work experiences as Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV taught me the importance of international cooperation on health issues," Peng said. "The Sino-US cooperation on health developed rapidly in the past few years. Especially after the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the two countries maintained close cooperation, and helped Western African countries to cure the victims and fight against the virus."

Peng expressed admiration for the contributions of the research center and the Gates Foundation in boosting Sino-US cooperation on health. She said she hoped more "Sino-US wisdom" and "Sino-US projects" could be introduced when facing major global challenges on health.

Peng suggested that medical workers from both countries could share advanced medical technologies and ideas to provide more medical help to people.

(China Daily USA 09/24/2015 page3)