Advocate Spotlight: Chunhui Wang

As the in-country coordinator of our Cardiovascular Health program in China, Chunhui Wang provides technical support to partners in the areas of sodium reduction and trans fat elimination.

Wang has extensive experience working as a journalist and policy advocate. She previously worked with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to promote tobacco control legislation and implementation in China. Wang is a co-author of the book “Tobacco Control in China” and has co-founded Food Think, a communications platform that disseminates knowledge on sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition.

What drew you to working as an advocate?

Being an advocate tests one’s overall strength. It is very suitable for idealists, but at the same time it teaches you how to gradually change and reach your goals in a down-to-earth and practical way for the ultimate benefit of humanity.

What accomplishment are you particularly proud of?

Over the years, civil society in China has supported government efforts to reduce tobacco use. Together, they have built an environment for tobacco control measures to be approved and implemented across the country. I’m proud to have contributed to these efforts as part of my work with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids from 2010 to 2016.

What is the most important lesson you have learned advocating for tobacco control policies?

In addition to a top-down approach, increasing public awareness and support for tobacco control is extremely important, as it will in turn stimulate political will to act.

What are you most excited about in your new role with GHAI?

It is a brand-new topic that I am excited to learn about and I can bring my previous experience in tobacco control to bear.

What is your message to food and health advocates in China and around the world?

In an era of rapid development of industrialized food production, people’s eating habits and their food sources are more and more defined – or changed – by the food industry. So, what to eat and how to eat is no longer only a matter of personal lifestyle choices, but it is also about the protection of health rights at the population level. Government can reduce chronic diseases by effectively regulating industry and the foods we eat every day.

Learn more about our Cardiovascular Health program.