Governing antimicrobial resistance through One Health: a comparative analysis of public health governance in China and the United Kingdom.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most pressing threats to global health and a major challenge for contemporary public health governance. As the drivers of AMR span human, animal, and environmental systems, the One Health framework has become central to the design of effective containment strategies. This study compares AMR governance in China and the United Kingdom (UK), focusing on institutional organization, regulatory frameworks, surveillance systems, and mechanisms for cross-sectoral coordination. The analysis highlights two contrasting governance models within the broader One Health paradigm. China relies on strong state-led coordination and hierarchical administrative mobilization, whereas the UK emphasizes specialized institutional collaboration supported by integrated surveillance infrastructures. Despite these structural differences, both countries continue to face major challenges in environmental surveillance, intersectoral data integration, and long-term coordination across sectors. Future progress in AMR control will depend not only on strengthening multisectoral governance capacity, but also on improving the integration of environmental dimensions into existing surveillance and response systems. The comparative experiences of China and the UK offer broader insights into the development of adaptive and globally coordinated One Health strategies for AMR governance.