The doctor–patient relationship in China seemed to hit rock bottom when Wen Yang—an emergency physician in Beijing Civil Aviation General Hospital—was fatally stabbed by a patient's son on Dec 24. The killing was condemned by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association and triggered an outpouring of anger among the public. On Dec 28, China's top legislator approved the first fundamental and comprehensive law for protecting health workers, which will take effect on June 1 this year. The law bans any organisation or individual from threatening or harming the personal safety or dignity of health workers. Although laudable, a legal approach alone is unlikely to address adequately this complex problem.

Violence against health professionals is a global concern and affects health workers in nearly all health-care settings. However, the scale, frequency, and viciousness of attacks on medical workers in China are particularly severe . Reasons for violence against health workers in China are many, including an inadequate primary health-care system and poor doctor–patient communication. Attemps to fix a deteriorating situation, such as increased security measures, have had little impact.

The Lancet has long supported Chinese health workers and health-care system reform , and we plan to work with Chinese partners further in 2020. Highlights will include a review on improving the quality of primary health-care in China, the second Wakley-Wu Lien Teh prize, which will give a voice to Chinese physicians to share their stories, and a China-themed issue to showcase high quality research to improve clinical practice and health polices in the country. Violence against health workers in China will not be halted through law enforcement and punitive measures alone; a cultural shift is required, and this will take time. Health-care professionals need to be trusted and respected. The best way to enchance trust is to create an effective health system that is credible and respected also.

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