Against the backdrop of rapid globalization and urbanization, the field of public health is confronted with a series of challenges, including the accelerated cross⁃regional spread of infectious diseases, the intensified interaction between chronic diseases and environmental factors, and the enhanced linkage response between public health events and the socioeconomic system. These challenges have transformed public health issues into complex systems influenced by multiple factors, necessitating a systems thinking approach to improve its governance performance. This review introduces the five core characteristics of the public health system under the complex systems theory, elaborates on the high compatibility between the core essence of the complex systems theory and public health, summarizes the application paths and tools of the complex systems theory in public health practice, and analyzes the challenges in implementing public health governance with the complex systems perspective in practice. It is emphasized that a flexible governance network needs to be built and innovative methods should be adopted. By drawing on the practical experience of China's Patriotic Health Campaign, the modernization of public health governance should be promoted to provide support for the construction of a Healthy China.

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