Wang Qi, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech
date：2024-02-26 09:21:53 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. Wang Qi, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech.
Wang Qi, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech
Distinguished guests, fellow practitioners, and friends, as we delve into the international service trade aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) under the Belt and Road Initiative, we should contemplate six critical aspects. To ensure that TCM can continue to ‘go global’ sustainably, stably, and on a larger scale with high quality, we must first enhance our distinctiveness. What is distinctiveness? It encompasses the unique symbols, characteristics, and advantages of your TCM products and practices. Enhancing distinctiveness accelerates our global outreach. Secondly, participation: how and to what extent you engage. Thirdly, contribution: the nature and assessment of your contributions post-participation. Surrounding these ‘three degrees,’ I propose six considerations:
1. Facing the ‘Three Crosses’ in Belt and Road countries—cross-national, cross-regional, and cross-cultural challenges—lacking theoretical support undermines our theoretical guidance in any undertaking. Additionally, there’s a lack of geographical balance in our outreach and a deficiency in targeted approaches. For instance, addressing specific health issues in Russia, the Mediterranean, and Italy requires targeted research and thought.
2. Strengthening TCM legal and regulatory frameworks is crucial, as herbal medicine is widely seen, but the regulatory framework for medical practice is still absent in some areas, especially concerning intellectual property rights protection, which is unique due to its regional, collective, and often non-novel nature.
3. Addressing the need for high-level evidence because Belt and Road demands resolving high-level evidence issues, including safety and efficacy. Acupuncture, for example, has received high-level evidence recognition globally, indicating its integral role in healthcare systems in many countries.
4. Focusing on the protection of TCM resources, unregulated exploitation and unplanned allocation have led to resource depletion and ecological damage, especially for rare medicinal plants. Rational and regulated management is imperative.
5. Standardization issues, where every aspect of TCM ‘going global’ must closely align with standardization, including quality, technical, and evaluation standards, to ensure long-term security.
6. Dissemination pathways, which have roughly encompassed six areas so far:
- International medical centers that demonstrate the enduring excellence of TCM abroad.
- Overseas service organizations that require continuous operation rather than relying on annual trade fairs.
- External cooperation platforms for scientific research and trade cooperation.
- TCM education abroad needs further strengthening.
- International health and wellness tourism is a critical area.
However, we are confident in the Belt and Road Initiative for TCM because:
- The WHO has incorporated TCM into the International Classification of Diseases, recognizing it as a significant part of mainstream medicine.
- The WHO views traditional medicine as an essential conclusion, advocating primary healthcare rights for everyone, where TCM can contribute significantly.
In conclusion, TCM's journey along the Belt and Road is not merely an export but an opportunity to learn from various cultures, nations, and traditional medicines worldwide, enriching and exploring more experiences. Thank you, everyone!