The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, today (October 26) signed a co-operation agreement on Chinese medicine with Party Group Member of the National Health Commission cum Party Secretary and Vice Commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM), Professor Yu Yanhong, to further promote the development of Chinese medicine in the two places.
 
     "The Food and Health Bureau and the NATCM signed a co-operation agreement on Chinese medicine in 2007 which was updated in 2013. Since then, there have been significant developments and new opportunities for Chinese medicine in the two places, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the development of the Bay Area and the development of the Chinese medicine hospital in Hong Kong. Today is an opportune time for us to renew the agreement, with a view to consolidating experience and enhancing co-operation in the field of Chinese medicine, and to further promoting the development of Chinese medicine in the two places," said Professor Chan.
 
     Under the agreement, the two parties will strengthen co-operation in areas such as the development of Chinese medicine hospital in Hong Kong, internationalisation and standardisation of Chinese medicine, the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area. The two sides will also initiate exchanges on Chinese medicine services and Chinese medicine education, with the aim of strengthening co-operation in aspects such as the medical service mode, specialties development, and collaboration between Western and Chinese medicine, hospital management and tertiary education. The two sides will also initiate various types of Chinese medicine research and development collaboration and establish communication and training mechanisms on the information technology management of Chinese medicine services.
 
     To strengthen co-operation between the two places in promoting Chinese medicine and to support the nationwide "Promotion of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China" initiative launched by NATCM, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is launching a series of activities under the "Promotion of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China – Hong Kong Programme" from October 25 to December 31 to promote the knowledge and principles of Chinese medicine and its culture. The campaign also aims to enhance understanding of the history and curative effects of Chinese medicine among the general public.

Ends/Friday, October 26, 2018
Issued at HKT 13:21

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