Introduction of TCM at the "Belt and Road Sino-Ukrainian Cultural Exchange Week" in Kiev

   Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was the topic on April 25 at the "Belt and Road Sino-Ukrainian Cultural Exchange Week". On the same day, both the inaugural meeting of the WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance and the Belt and Road TCM cooperation forum were held in the Ukrainian House in Kiev. Honorary Chairman of SRCA and former Minister of Health of China Zhang Wenkang; Secretary General of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies Sang Binsheng; Vice President of National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine Dmitro I. Zabolotnyi; Chairman of WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance and President of Bhumithai Pattana Foundation of Thailand Mrs. Malee Vajrodaya, respectively delivered speeches in the meeting. Mr. Samsonov, Deputy Secretary General of the WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance and Vice President of Oriental Medical Association of Ukraine presided.

   Zhang Wenkang pointed out that Traditional Chinese Medicine is a scientific medical system that has been gradually formed and continuously developed by Chinese people in their long struggle against diseases. In recent years, the cultural exchange of TCM will flourish even more. He expressed that the Belt and Road TCM Cooperation Forum, which has been jointly organized by the WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance, the Oriental Medical Association of Ukraine and the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, will promote health industry exchanges and cooperation among the cities along the Belt and Road route, and also make contributions to the construction of a ‘healthy’ Silk Road.

   Mr. Sang Binsheng said in his speech that three policies were promulgated last year. They were the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Strategic Plan on the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Development Plan of the Belt and Road for Traditional Chinese Medicine. The introduction of a series of regulations not only provides a strong guarantee for the development of TCM in China, but also has a positive impact on the exchange and cooperation of TCM in the world.

  Ukraine is an important country along the Belt and Road route, and health cooperation between China and Ukraine has become increasingly close in recent years. Under the premise of such a good international and domestic situation, the WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance was founded in Kiev today. It embodies our strategic deployment responding to the Belt and Road initiative and the implementation of the Development Plan of the Belt and Road for Traditional Chinese Medicine (2016-2020). It also shows our solid work of combining the development of TCM in the world. When international platforms and domestic strategy meet with each other, it is believed that Traditional Chinese Medicine will have greater prospects for development.

   Wang Jing, Director of Department of International Affairs of WFCMS, read out the official proclamation for the establishment and inaugural meeting of the WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance.

    Mr. Dmitro I. Zabolotny said that Ukraine welcomes TCM development and hopes that the two nations can carry out more win-win cooperation in the field of health.

   Mrs. Malee Vajrodaya said that her foundation would make practical contributions for TCM development in Thailand and the world, using the Silk Road Cities Alliance as its platform. She also said that they would like to have the honour to host the 14th World TCM Conference in Bangkok in October this year. 

   The Belt and Road TCM Cooperation Forum was held at the same time as the inaugural meeting of the WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance. At that forum, Secretary General of EU-China Friendship Group of the European Parliament Gai Lin; Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering Huang Tao; Director of Department of International Affairs of WFCMS Wang Jing; and the Chairman of Oriental Medical Association of Ukraine Mr. Alexander delivered thematic reports on “TCM with EU-China Relationship”, “Development of Acupuncture Treatment”,“The Opportunities and Challenges faced by TCM International Development” and “TCM with Ukraine”.

   Secretary General Mr. Gai mentioned that the promotion of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Europe is conducive not only for academic exchanges, but also for spiritual and cultural exchanges between European and Chinese people. According to Zhang Wenkang. former Minister of Health of China, “the key to sound relations between states lies in the affinity between their people, which largely stems from mutual understanding”. Mr. Gai hoped to push the development of TCM in European countries at a political level, as well as to promote friendship between Europe and China.

   Professor Huang Tao, Chief Physician of the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Hospital of CACMS and Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, gave a speech called “Acupuncture, the Vanguard of the Internationalization of TCM”. She introduced the history of acupuncture and moxibustion, the process of internationalization, clinical practice and basic research, inheritance and various other aspects.

   Director Wang published a keynote report on “The Opportunities and Challenges faced by TCM International Development”. The report analyzed the opportunities that TCM has from five perspectives: the continuous expansion of demand; laws and policies; the support of modern science and technology; the revival of traditional culture; and the foundation of academic and career development. It also explained the challenges that TCM has from five aspects: cultural differences, medical science status, practitioners, market access standards and intellectual property rights. Moreover, the report also displayed the work and contributions that WFCMS has done in this regard.

   In his speech, President Alexander mentioned that Traditional Chinese Medicine follows the holistic concept integrating man and nature, which can effectively cure chronic diseases. Like the liberal arts, TCM has made outstanding contributions to world culture. The Oriental Medical Association of Ukraine has established an Oriental Medical Committee of Ukraine with the government, and has successfully held three conferences to explore TCM-related problems and cooperation opportunities, as well as signing memorandums with relevant agencies. He also said that the establishment of the Silk Road Cities Alliance has built a solid foundation for further cooperation in the health sector and provided a broad platform for the development of TCM in Ukraine.

   Chinese and Ukrainian institutes have signed a number of cooperation agreements on the forum with the aim of effectively promoting cooperation between the two countries in the field of health and Chinese medicine. The Oriental Medical Association of Ukraine, the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance, , and the Diaspora of Chinese in Ukraine (DCIU) signed “The Memorandum of Establishing Ukraine TCM Development Center”. National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids of China, WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Beijing Dafukang Rehabilitation & Assistive Device Technology Co., Ltd. and PKUCare Rehabilitation Hospital jointly signed the “Protocol for Establishing Silk Road Cities Alliance Rehabilitation Committee”. In addition, WFCMS Silk Road Cities Alliance and Beijing Dafukang Rehabilitation & Assistive Device Technology Co., Ltd. donated rehabilitation materials to relevant medical institutions.

   Subsequently, in the section of experiencing TCM treatment, Huang Tao, Gu Shaofeng and Zhong Zhi, three masters of TCM, introduced traditional therapies to the guests. After receiving acupuncture, massage and other traditional treatments, the subjects felt really comfortable and they all praised the masters for their excellent technique.

   After the forum, the organizers also held a TCM apprentice ceremony. Three Ukrainian who have a passion for TCM were formally introduced to Gu Shaofeng, Huang Tao and Zhong Zhi as their individual TCM masters. They would start to learn TCM culture and gain systematic and professional medical knowledge, in order to become TCM practitioners and act as emissaries to promote further development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Ukraine.

Written by Xu Yue (Silk Road Cities Alliance)