Zhao Xuedong, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Henan Province, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech
date：2024-02-23 16:21:57 views：
On September 6th, the 6th Belt and Road Forum for Traditional Chinese Medicine Development, as a summit forum of the 2023 China International Fair for Trade in Services, was successfully held at the Beijing National Convention Center. The forum was co-hosted by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, with the theme: 'Deepening Cooperation of Belt and Road Traditional Chinese Medicine Development and Jointly Creating a Global Community of Health for All'. Officials from Chinese and foreign government departments, representatives from international organizations, academicians from the Academy of Engineering, Nobel laureates, and leaders from the political consultative conferences of 10 provinces including Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Sichuan, Gansu, Hebei, and Henan, alongside diplomats from 20 embassies stationed in China from countries such as South Africa, Israel, Belarus, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Cape Verde, Liberia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, and Cuba, as well as representatives from over 400 enterprises, participated in the event. Zhao Xuedong, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Henan Province, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech.
Zhao Xuedong, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Henan Province, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech
Esteemed Commissioner Yu Yanhong, Vice President Li Xikui, distinguished leaders, and valued guests,
Good day to everyone!
It is with great privilege that I have been invited to participate in the 6th Belt and Road Forum for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Development. Initially, I would like to extend, on behalf of the People’s Government of Henan Province, our profound appreciation to the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and other relevant bodies, as well as to the ambassadors of various countries and friends from all sectors, for their enduring support and commitment to the development of TCM in Henan.
Henan stands as a seminal cradle of TCM, a province that has produced a lineage of distinguished physicians and a wealth of seminal medical texts throughout the ages. It boasts a robust foundation for the development of TCM, famed for the ‘Four huaiqing Chinese medicines’ and recognized as a principal production area for TCM materials nationwide. Traditional medical projects such as Luoyang’s Ping Le Orthopedics and Jiaozuo’s cultivation and processing of the Four huaiqing Chinese medicines, among six others, have been honored as part of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage, underscoring the significant influence of the Central Plains TCM culture in many Belt and Road countries.
In May 2021, during his inspection visit to Nanyang, Henan, President Xi Jinping provided crucial directives on the work of TCM, emphasizing the importance of adhering to authenticity and innovation, as well as the continuation and development of TCM. Following these directives, Henan has been thoroughly committed, capitalizing on our resource strengths, and seizing developmental opportunities to significantly advance the high-quality development of TCM.
Currently, Henan is home to over 7,200 TCM medical institutions and more than 83,300 registered TCM practitioners. In 2022, TCM hospitals across the province recorded 43.82 million outpatient and emergency visits, and discharged 2.62 million patients, providing substantial support for the health and wellbeing of the Central Plains’ populace. Furthermore, situated along the geographical divide between North and South China, Henan is favorably positioned for the ‘Southern planting of Northern herbs and Northern relocation of Southern herbs,’ marking it as a major province for TCM resources with 2,733 types of medicinal materials. The province’s TCM material cultivation area spans 5.5 million mu (approximately 366,667 hectares), ranking among the top three nationally for five consecutive years, and is home to 200 large-scale TCM enterprises, leading in both quantity and output across the country.
In terms of deeply integrating TCM into the service trade, Henan fully leverages its TCM resources and academic-cultural strengths to actively enhance deep cooperation and exchange both domestically and internationally.
1. Advancing International Cooperation in TCM Education:
Through the Henan University of Chinese Medicine, co-established with the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we have vigorously pursued international exchanges and cooperation in TCM, signing agreements with 40 institutions, including the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University in Russia and the University of Siena in Italy. In collaboration with Malaysia’s Lincoln University and the Seagull Group, we have established the ‘Zhongjing College at Malaysia University of Management and Science,’ and successfully applied for the establishment of the ‘China-Malaysia Zhongjing Traditional Chinese Medicine Center,’ making significant contributions to the international education of TCM.
2. Deepening International Cooperation in TCM Healthcare:
Our province has sent 64 medical teams totaling 1,302 members to Ethiopia, Zambia, Eritrea, and Kuwait, treating over 7.25 million individuals, and establishing two Chinese Medicine Centers, warmly received by the local populations. We have actively participated in international anti-pandemic cooperation, organizing numerous sessions where renowned TCM experts from our province shared their experience in treating COVID-19 with TCM with friendly nations and our diplomatic missions abroad, playing a pivotal role in fostering a global community of health.
3. Expanding Overseas TCM Services:
Nanyang, Henan, designated as a national pilot city for TCM services trade, has been a focal point for leveraging the Zhang Zhongjing Museum as a national TCM service export base. We have strengthened the cultivation, planning, and guidance of the TCM service trade industry, continuously expanding international cooperation channels for TCM. Successfully hosting 15 editions of the Zhang Zhongjing Medical Culture Festival and 10 Zhongjing Forums, these events have become national TCM exhibition brands and platforms for cooperation and academic exchange in the TCM industry, garnering significant influence both domestically and internationally. Nanyang’s TCM Muscle-Bone Needle Technique has been promoted in over 70 countries and regions as part of the Belt and Road TCM promotion project.
Ladies and gentlemen, more than two thousand years ago, silk from Luoyang, Henan, was continuously transported to Central Asia and Europe, establishing the ancient Silk Road as a bridge of civilization between Asia and Europe. Today, Henan, steadfastly implementing a strategy of institutional opening-up and leading with the ‘Air Silk Road,’ promotes the integrated development of air, land, sea, and online Silk Roads, accelerating the creation of a comprehensive new open economy. The Central Plains area’s support for the Belt and Road Initiative is continually strengthening. We look forward to all-encompassing exchanges and cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road, including TCM. We sincerely welcome all guests, outstanding enterprises, and experts to Henan for inspection, guidance, investment, and business development, to share in our development opportunities, pursue cooperation and success, and together elevate the TCM industry in Henan to new heights.
Thank you, everyone!