The Government released the first Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint of Hong Kong today (December 18), outlining the vision of Chinese medicine (CM) development in Hong Kong - inheriting the wisdom of CM, leveraging the motherland's development experience and resources, and utilising CM to provide Hong Kong citizens with higher quality and more comprehensive healthcare services for better health outcomes, while establishing Hong Kong as a bridgehead for the global expansion of CM.

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "CM is an integral part of Hong Kong's healthcare system that has long been trusted and used by the citizens. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been committed to promoting CM development over the years, and the Blueprint is the first policy document published by the Government specifically dedicated to the development of CM in Hong Kong. The formulation of the Blueprint aligns with national CM development overall strategies, and fully considers the institutional advantages of the 'one country, two systems' principle and the CM system, with a view to promoting Hong Kong's better integration into the construction of the CM highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the overall national development of CM.

     "Leveraging on the country's robust capability in CM, Hong Kong also takes its advantages in its internationalised healthcare system, regulatory system, standard setting and clinical research, and more. The HKSAR Government will continue to work closely and actively with the CM sector to promote CM development, aiming to implement the recommendations as set out in the Blueprint in an orderly manner to provide comprehensive and quality CM services to the public. The Government will also leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages of enjoying strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world, with a view to assisting the national drive for CM to go global.

     "This year marks a significant milestone for CM development in Hong Kong. The 7th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine was held in Hong Kong on December 2, and The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the permanent premises of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) also commenced services last Thursday (December 11), which received a positive public response. Building on the existing foundation of CM development, the release of the Blueprint today enables us to look to the future and formulate a comprehensive plan to further promote the comprehensive, high-quality and high-standard development of CM."

     The Blueprint sets out short, medium and long-term goals and action plans across key areas, covering five key domains and proposing eight goals and 20 actions, with details as follows:

(1) CM Services

Goal 1: Enhancing Clinical Services Excellence
1. Defining the role of CM services within the healthcare system
2. Improving the quality and clinical effectiveness of CM services
3. Upgrading CM services through technological empowerment

Goal 2: Establishing an Interprofessional Service System
4. Deepening interprofessional collaboration mechanisms for CM services
5. Integrating into the healthcare system fully and fostering cross-institutional collaboration
6. Strengthening the role of CM in primary healthcare

(2) CM Profession

Goal 3: Leading CM Professional Development
7. Elevating the competence standard of the CM profession
8. Building a more comprehensive CM talent cultivation system
9. Empowering the sector to continuously advance CM professional development

(3) Chinese Medicines (CMs) Development

Goal 4: Enhancing CMs Quality and Standard
10. Strengthening quality management of CMs
11. Implementing good manufacturing practice (GMP) for proprietary CMs fully

Goal 5: Contributing to the Establishment of International Standard for CMs
12. Leveraging the GCMTI to establish standard for CMs
13. Deepening collaboration between the GCMTI and institutions in the Mainland and the GBA

Goal 6: Driving CM Innovation in Research and Industry
14. Promoting innovation of CMs and clinical trials
15. Empowering the industry to cultivate talent in CMs

(4) Cultural Inheritance

Goal 7: Promoting Culture of CM
16. Disseminating knowledge on the appropriate selection of CM for disease prevention and treatment
17. Fostering cross-sectoral collaboration to enhance cultural confidence in CM

(5) Go Global

Goal 8: Facilitating the "Go Global" of CM
18. Promoting Hong Kong's CM service model and international co-operation globally
19. Facilitating the international application of CMs standard and testing technologies
20. Establishing an international hub for CM information exchange and innovation

     Professor Lo thanked the Chinese Medicine Development Committee, its Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint Subcommittee, CM sector and stakeholders from relevant sectors, for their valuable advice provided during the formulation of the Blueprint.

     The Chinese Medicine Unit of the Health Bureau (HHB) has been maintaining close liaison with local, Mainland and international stakeholders through various platforms and means, including engaging in nearly 400 activities, meetings and exchange sessions, to conduct stakeholder consultation for the formulation of the Blueprint.

     Full text and pamphlet of the Blueprint are available at the HHB's thematic website (www.healthbureau.gov.hk/CMDevBlueprint).

Ends/Thursday, December 18, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:15

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