The Chinese government published its first white paper on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on Tuesday, detailing policies and measures on TCM development and highlighting its unique and modern-day appeal of traditional remedies.
"TCM has created unique views on life, on fitness, on diseases and on the prevention and treatment of diseases during its long history of absorption and innovation," said the white paper - Traditional Chinese Medicine in China - published by the State Council Information Office.
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The document also explained that in addition to making a contribution to the prevention and treatment of common, endemic and difficult diseases, TCM has played an important role in preventing and treating major epidemics, such as SARS, HIV/AIDS, and Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease.
Official data show that China has established 3,966 TCM hospitals, 42,528 TCM clinics and 452,000 practitioners and assistant practitioners of TCM across the country as of 2015. At the same time, the medical care services provided by TCM institutions in China increased from 14.3 percent to 15.7 percent from 2009 to 2015.
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Meanwhile, TCM's international reputation has grown to the extent that it is now used in 183 countries and regions around the world.
To promote TCM development, the white paper said China has made the TCM development "a national strategy."
However, problems still remain as experts express concerns over the quality of TCM ingredients.
Wang Guoqiang, director of China’s State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine /SCIO Photo
“Our research nationwide has shown that some wild medical herbs have been domesticated, and the use of pesticide, chemical fertilizer as well as soil pollution all have possible negative effects on the quality of TCM ingredients,” said Wang Guoqiang, director of China’s State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, at Tuesday’s press conference.
