Singapore minister: TCM a 'treasure trove' awaiting further exploration

A senior Singaporean official has said that traditional Chinese medicine, a treasure trove awaiting further exploration, is accelerating its integration into Singapore's healthcare system.

Speaking at the opening of the 23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine, Ong Ye Kung, Singapore's minister for health and coordinating minister for social policies, stressed that amid the growing attention to integrated Chinese-Western medicine, the starting point of integrative medicine lies in respecting the historical and philosophical differences between the two medical traditions.

"The question is not which system is superior, but how they can complement each other safely and effectively for patient benefit," he said. The congress was hosted by the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) and organized by the Singapore Chinese Physicians' Association (SCPA).

Ong noted that cases such as artemisinin and Zhiyin (BL67) point moxibustion for breech presentation demonstrate that TCM is a treasure trove awaiting further exploration, and integration should not be constrained by paradigms that dismiss the cumulative clinical experience of TCM.

He outlined Singapore's four-pronged national efforts, including education, accreditation, evidence-based integration and preventive healthcare, in bolstering TCM practices, and expressed hope that the congress would facilitate cross-national learning of best practices.

The congress brought together more than 1,400 TCM experts and scholars, government officials, and industry representatives from 25 countries and regions, including China, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

WFCMS President Ma Jianzhong noted that TCM has spread to 196 countries and regions worldwide, and more than one-third of the global population has received TCM interventions such as acupuncture and tuina. According to World Health Organization statistics, 113 WHO member states recognize TCM therapies, including acupuncture; 29 member states have formulated laws and regulations governing standardized TCM practice; and 20 member states have incorporated TCM into their national medical-security systems.

The congress featured 36 parallel sessions, four keynote presentations, and 330 academic reports showcasing cutting-edge global TCM research outcomes and clinical experience.

Cao Zhongming, Chinese ambassador to Singapore, stressed that as a gem of Chinese civilization, TCM contributes Eastern wisdom to global health governance through its strengths in holistic thinking, treatment based on syndrome differentiation, and preventive medicine (treating disease-before-its-onset).

He said that TCM played an integral role throughout prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation during pandemic responses, yielding notable outcomes in integrated Chinese-Western care.

Cao called for TCM not merely to "go global", but to "take root locally" within national health systems, with strengthened standards-setting, evidence-based research, and talent cultivation.

He noted that the congress contributes in building consensus and mobilizing TCM contributions toward building a global community of health for all.

The congress was held under the theme "Addressing Global Health Challenges and Promoting Deeper Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine into National Healthcare Systems."

Wang Lei, president of China's Tianjin Pharmaceutical Group and chairperson of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Da Ren Tang Group, stated that TCM, with its strengths in preventive care and syndrome-differentiated therapy, offers "Chinese solutions" for tackling global challenges such as chronic diseases and antimicrobial resistance, evolving from "going global" toward "integrating into the world".

Dr Goh Kia Seng, president of SCPA, academician Zhang Yun of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, national TCM masters Wang Qingguo and Zhou Daihan, Ramon Calduch, chairman of the WFCMS Board of Supervisors and president of the European Foundation for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, and related officials and experts also attended the ceremony.

The congress has received support from government agencies and international organizations, including the World Health Organization, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China, the Singapore Ministry of Health, and the Singapore Tourism Board.

Please contact the writer at hanjingyan@chinadaily.com.cn