Dr. Noor Muhammad, Counsellor of the Pakistani Embassy in China, emphasized the importance of integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine into modern medical practices in Pakistan. He mentioned that the embassy has recently advised the Pakistani government to amend relevant laws and regulations to facilitate the introduction of TCM into the country, pointing out the numerous benefits TCM offers to Pakistan and the global community.
In their addresses, Academician Zhao Yufen from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wang Xiangdong, Deputy Director of the Yinzhou District Government in Ningbo, noted that Pakistan has a substantial pharmaceutical consumer market with significant growth potential. They also highlighted Portugal’s early completion of legislation on traditional Chinese medicine, indicating promising collaboration opportunities.
M. Iqbal Choudhary, Vice President of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH, outlined ambitious future plans, including the establishment of the first TCM hospitals at the University of Lahore’s medical center. He mentioned training 10 Pakistani doctors in TCM over the next two years and creating a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Joint Laboratory for Traditional Food and Medicine for Human Health.
Choudhary also mentioned the advancement of joint research programs focusing on the chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical studies of medicinal plants used in Uyghur TCM. Additionally, he discussed plans for the joint manufacturing of TCM products, complementary foods, and pharmaceuticals in Pakistan, aimed at serving both the national market and exports to the Middle East, Gulf, and Africa.
Alberto Dias, a Professor at the University of Minho in Portugal and Director of the Portugal-China Research Center on Medicinal and Edible Plants, highlighted the importance of their joint PhD program on “Medicinal and Food Plant Resources” at the University of Minho, stating that this partnership is vital for enhancing the understanding and utilization of medicinal plants.
The session was chaired by Liu Xinmin, a member of the Expert Advisory Panel on Traditional Medicine at the World Health Organization (WHO). During the event, Academician Zhao awarded visiting professorship certificates to M. Iqbal Choudhary and Alberto Dias and presented Choudhary with a key to the Ningbo Academician House.
