Building bridges to operationalise one health – A Sino-Swedish collaboration to tackle antibiotic resistance

•Antibiotic resistance is a complex global health challenge•One Health approaches are needed to facilitate understanding and action•China is one of the largest producers and consumers of antibiotics in the world•China is giving attention to antibiotic resistance at the highest political level•We report on the early stages of a Sino-Swedish One Health research programme

Antibiotic resistance is a complex global health challenge. The recent Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance highlights the importance of adopting One Health approaches that can cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. We report on the early experiences of a multisectoral Sino-Swedish research project that aims to address gaps in our current knowledge and seeks to improve the situation through system-wide interventions. Our research project is investigating antibiotic use and resistance in a rural area of China through a combination of epidemiological, health systems and laboratory investigations. We reflect here on the challenges inherent in conducting long distance cross-disciplinary collaborations, having now completed data and sample collection for a baseline situation analysis. In particular, we recognise the importance of investing in aspects such as effective communication, shared conceptual frameworks and leadership. We suggest that our experiences will be instructive to others planning to develop similar international One Health collaborations.