GENEVA, May 18 (Xinhua) -- International cooperation must be carried out for a global response to the current A/H1N1 influenza outbreak, Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu said here on Monday.

    "Economic globalization has led to a global transmission of diseases. To address this global challenge, a better way is to take global actions," Chen said in a speech to the 62nd World Health Assembly (WHA).

    According to the minister, countries need to have better cooperation, demonstrate solidarity, support each other in information, technology and knowledge sharing, and make joint efforts to prevent the disease from developing into a new crisis threatening the economic and social development of mankind.

    "The Chinese government would like to cooperate with other countries and relevant international organizations in sharing information, technology and best practices in outbreak response, to better cope with this challenge to global public health," he said.

    The minister also proposed an international seminar on the prevention and control of A/H1N1 influenza to be held in Beijing in July.

    The purpose of the seminar is for better experience sharing and capacity enhancing in response to a possible influenza pandemic, he said.

    The WHA is the supreme decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). It is usually held in Geneva in May and participated by health ministers of WHO's 193 member states.

    This year's assembly will run through May 22, five days shorter than originally planned because health ministers are busy handling the disease situation in their own countries and need to go back earlier.

    According to the WHO's latest tally, the new flu virus has caused 8,829 infections and 74 deaths in 40 countries and regions.