The Chinese character for crisis contains two characters, one is for danger and one is for opportunity. In this special interview, Dr Vivian Lin - Director of Health Systems in WHO's Regional Office for the Western Pacific - reflects on the state of health and development in the Western Pacific region in this political moment and how we can find opportunities in the challenges we face. Dr Lin discusses the social determinants of health, the evolution of sustainable development, global cooperation and aid, antimicrobial resistance and non-communicable disease - providing a great introduction to our biggest global health issues.