The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with a delegation led by the Director of the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mr Tian Xingjun, today (October 30) to introduce the development of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong and discuss the deepening of co-operation on CM between Sichuan and Hong Kong.

     Professor Lo introduced to the delegation in particular the multiple policy initiatives in relation to the promotion of CM development as announced by the Chief Executive last week in the Policy Address. These initiatives include accelerating the promotion of testing and scientific research on, as well as informatisation of, CM through the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute; launching a Digitalised Chinese Medicines Information Platform; formulating a Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint in collaboration with the CM sector to outline the long-term strategies; strengthening the integrated Chinese-Western medicine services through extension to more hospitals and more disease areas; as well as promoting the establishment of a strategic co-operation mechanism between the first Chinese Medicine Hospital (CMH) in Hong Kong and a Mainland counterpart to support the commissioning and sustainable development of the CMH.

     Professor Lo emphasised, "CM plays an integral part in the healthcare system in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has all along been committed to driving the high-quality development of CM on all fronts. Among others, the Policy Address highlights the need to give full play to the strengths of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute. The HKSAR Government aspires to research and develop internationally recognised reference standards for CM and related products, in addition to the transfer of technology to the CM industry for strengthening quality control. This will help establish the brand image of Hong Kong's CM drugs and develop the city into an international centre for CM testing and quality control, thus promoting the standardisation, modernisation and internationalisation of CM.

     "On the other hand, the HKSAR Government will continue to deepen CM collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland. In fact, Sichuan and Hong Kong have all along been engaged in numerous exchanges in CM fields such as CM talent nurturing, industry development as well as academic and scientific research. It is envisioned that Sichuan's advantages of CM resources and Hong Kong's role as an international CM platform can be further leveraged to reinforce co-operation among the CM institutions, organisations and enterprises of the two places.

     "The HKSAR Government will keep working closely with Mainland and international stakeholders to enhance exchanges and collaboration in the CM field under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits. We will also utilise Hong Kong's traditional strengths in CM to bolster Hong Kong's vital role as the country's gateway to international markets to promote the inheritance, innovation and high-quality development of CM, thus rallying concerted efforts to build a 'Healthy Hong Kong' for integration into the nation's strategic planning of 'Healthy China'."

     The Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan; the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee; the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Tony Ko; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Eddie Lee; and the Project Director of the CMH Project Office of the Health Bureau, Dr Cheung Wai-lun, also attended today's meeting.

Ends/Monday, October 30, 2023
Issued at HKT 20:00

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