Taicang took home a best practice award at the seventh Global Conference for the Alliance of Healthy Cities (AFHC), held in South Korea's Wonju city from Aug 29 to Sept 1, Taicang Daily reported.

The AFHC aims to protect and enhance the health and healthcare of city dwellers, and the conference is held biennially with different themes, with this year's theme being "Our Cities, Our Health and Our Future".

Taicang won the best practice award from the World Health Organization (WHO), for its efforts on healthy school construction. The city has been dedicated to building and promoting healthy schools, as well as improving teaching facilities since 2006. As well as establishing new school buildings, Taicang renovated older facilities for campus security, including canteens, restrooms and garbage collection.

Taicang has invested 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) in upgrading its fire-fighting equipment in 15 schools. Students receive free health examinations, and attend health education programs, on topics such as first-aid and traffic safety.

In 2015, more than 96.63 percent of Taicang's students passed their physical fitness test.

It is the fourth honor Taicang has received from WHO since it started its healthy city program in 2003. Taicang has won awards for supporting breast feeding, fitness programs and resistance against gender bias respectively in 2014, 2012 and 2006.