Modernization of traditional Chinese medicine draws worldwide
attention

http://english.people.com.cn/200509/28/eng20050928_211359.html

More than 120 countries and regions have set up traditional Chinese
medicinal institutions or clinics and are pooling worldwide efforts
in blazing new trails for the revitalization of the age-old science.

An important component of the Chinese culture, traditional Chinese
medicine is being widely accepted worldwide as it upgrades by taking
advantage of modern scientific theories, technologies and methods.

The ongoing Second International Science and Technology Conference
on Traditional Chinese Medicine, held in Chengdu, capital of
southwest China's Sichuan Province, has drawn more than 3,000
government officials, representatives from pharmaceutical firms and
scientists and researchers from 43 countries and regions.

The three-day conference has displayed the latest science and
technology in traditional Chinese medicine, industrial prospects and
international cooperation.

Participants in the conference were focusing on such topics as high
technology in modern traditional Chinese medicine, sustainable
growth and the utilization of traditional Chinese medicine
resources, and clinical research of the effectiveness and safety of
traditional Chinese medicine.

More and more people in foreign countries are starting to believe in
the effectiveness of Chinese traditional medicine, leading to the
rapid growth of the traditional Chinese medicine industry.

Statistics showed that a total of 14,000 traditional Chinese
medicine clinics have so far been set up in France, Britain, Canada
and Australia.

Currently, Japan has approximately 15,000 people engaged in
businesses related to traditional Chinese medicine. The Republic of
Korea (ROK) has developed a Chinese medicine market of over one
billion US dollars.

Traditional Chinese medicine is not only used in Asian countries,
but also has become legal in many European and American countries.

France has acknowledged the practice of acupuncture anesthesia and
traditional Chinese medicine has been included in the curriculum of
France's higher learning medical institutions. Chinese herbal
medicine was included in France's medical insurance in 1999.

Chinese medicine is very popular in Germany, where people can buy
Chinese medicine in most drugstores.

In Australia, at least 2.8 million people visit traditional Chinese
medicine doctors each year and there are more than 2,000 traditional
Chinese medicine doctors in Sydney and Melbourne.

Traditional Chinese medicine is gradually obtaining legal
recognition in the United States, where there are 12,000 registered
acupuncturists and 53 schools of traditional Chinese medicine. It
has been incorporated into medical insurance by an increasing number
of US insurance firms.

In India, Chinese medicine as well traditional Chinese health-
building forms, such as balls for health, Taijiquan (a kind of
traditional Chinese physical exercise also known as the shadow
boxing), cupping and so on, are highly praised.

The worldwide spread of the traditional Chinese medicine knowledge
and technology has boosted large-scale exports of Chinese medicines,
totaling 500 million US dollars annually.

Representatives, officials and experts at the ongoing international
science and technology conference on traditional Chinese medicine
have reached consensus in expanding scientific cooperation in the
modernization of the traditional Chinese medicine.

More than 40 countries and regions as well as international medical
institutions have agreed and responded to a proposal put forward by
the Chinese government in setting up an international scientific
cooperation mechanism regarding the modernization of traditional
medicine.

Source: Xinhua