The central government will continue to firmly support development of
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Vice-Premier Wu Yi said yesterday.
Her reaffirmation was aimed at countering some "extreme opinions" late
last year suggesting that TCM be taken off the official medical system.
Speaking at the annual national TCM working conference, Wu said measures
will be taken to accelerate the development of TCM.
China will bid to
list TCM as world intangible cultural heritage;
The government will
encourage more TCM exports;
Protection of TCM intellectual property
rights will be strengthened;
Knowledge about TCM will be included in
school textbooks.
TCM plays a major role in ensuring public health, and
its resources must be fully tapped in establishing a nationwide healthcare
system, Wu said.
In fact, TCM is recognized globally as China has signed
agreements on the medicine system with more than 70 countries, she said.
She Jing, vice-minister of health and director of the State TCM
Administration, said yesterday in a report that TCM will play a bigger role in
rural and urban community healthcare services this year.
The strong
support for the traditional medicine system appears to be a robust rebuttal to a
professor's opposition last October. He asked netizens to support his plan
urging the health authorities to take TCM out of the national medical system.
Zhang Gongyao, with Changsha-based Central South University, suggested
that Chinese hospitals prescribe only western medicines generating heated debate
among the public.
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