From June 12 to 14, the 6th Beijing International Digestive Disease Forum was ceremoniously held in Beijing co-sponsored by the Digestion Medical Doctor Society of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital of China Academy of Medical Sciences, Gastroenterology Department of Capital University of Medical Sciences and Beijing Digestive Disease Center. The forum invited many well-known domestic and foreign experts. More than 1,300 digestive disease experts and scholars from the United States, Belgium, South Korea, mainland China and Hong Kong attended the meeting and carried out a wide range of study and discussion on the topics related to digestive diseases.

Professor Zhang Shutian, Vice Director of Beijing Friendship Hospital and Director of Beijing Digestive Disease Center chaired the opening ceremony. The speakers included Professor Cai Zhongjun, Executive Vice President of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Ms. Lu Chongmei, Secretary of the Party Committee of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Professor Liu Jian, Director of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Professor Liu Xinguang, Chairman of Digestion Medical Doctor Society of Chinese Medical Doctor Association; Professor Jia Jidong, Chairman of the Society of Hepatology of Chinese Medical Association and Director of Experiment Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Professor Wang Yu, Advisor of Surgical Society of Chinese Medical Association, Professor Qian Jiaming, Vice Chairman of Digestive Disease Society of Chinese Medical Association and Digestive Department Director of Peking Union Medical College Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor Ren Xu, Vice Chairman of Digestive Endoscopy Society of Chinese Medical Association and Grace H. Elta, former President of ASGE.

The forum consisted of gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, internal medicine and surgical treatment joint forum, malignant biliary stricture treatment topic forum, live endoscopic operation forum, and video presentations and comment of laparoscopy surgery. Digestive disease experts from the United States, Belgium, South Korea, mainland China and Hong Kong carried out the operation and demonstration of digestive endoscopy respectively. Well-known experts and scholars carried out extensive discussion on 50-plus topics, for example, endoscopic treatment of the gastric, esophageal varices, irritable bowel syndrome, severe acute pancreatitis, endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of early intestine cancer, NOTES, the technologies of single port laparoscopy and laparoscopy and colonoscopy combination, issue progress for liver transplantation internal medicine, research progress for outside oesophagus performance of gastric esophageal reflux disease, modern perspective on the treatment of portal hypertension, intestine cancer, and laparoscopic surgery for stomach cancer.

Grace H. Elta, former President of ASGE successfully implemented ERCP and biliary stent placement operation for patients suffering from pancreatic duct expansion and stones; PierreH.Deprez, Belgium expert of digestive endoscopy, implemented ERCP and lithotomy for an 84-year-old male patient suffering from multiple common bile duct stones; CW.Chan, Director of Endoscopy Center of the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital implemented ERCP and EBE for a 51-year-old female patient suffering from upper common bile duct stenosis. Professor Linghu Enqiang from People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Professor Ma Shuren from General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Zhang Shutian, Vice Director of the Beijing Friendship Hospital, Professor Ji Ming, Professor Wu Yongdong, Professor Li Wen from Tianjin People’s Hospital and Professor Liu Jun from Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital also conducted operation demonstration of gastrointestinal endoscopes. This forum covered more than 40 cases of live endoscopic operation and 10-plus cases of laparoscopic surgery presentation. Experts’ superb endoscopic operation and surgical demonstration won thunderous applauses from the participants.

The forum carried forward the characteristics of previous five times of the General Assembly featuring the combination of digestion, endoscopy, liver disease and surgery, live endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery demonstration, and moreover, it continued to develop the joint forum, which fully demonstrated the latest research results and academic standards of digestive disease field in China, and thus building a favorable and integrated platform for numerous clinicians to receive continuing education, explore the development direction of the discipline, understand the new technologies and progress of this subject, exchange experience and convey friendship and further promoting the sound development of digestive diseases in our country.

Delegates said that this event provided a good opportunity for experts and scholars to exchange experience; clinicians of different professions achieved common improvement on the overall diagnosis and treatment for diseases of digestive system through the exchange and mutual inspiration. The forum has played a positive role in promoting the continuous development of our digestion cause.