World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies Vice Chairman Ho Ka Long: Ancient TCM to Make Significant Contributions to Global Health and Civilization

Vice President of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, He Jialang

On October 24, 2020, the 2nd World Conference on Internet Industry of Traditional Chinese Medicine (WCIICM2020) grandly opened in Jinan. Themed “Hometown of Bian Que • Healthy Jinan—Development of the Internet-Enabled Great Health Industry for Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Post-Pandemic Era,” the conference provided an integrated platform for cooperation, exchange, and application discussions spanning industry, academia, research, and clinical practice. Top experts, scholars, industry leaders, and industrial representatives from around the world participated both online and offline, jointly exploring the high-quality, integrated development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the internet industry, promoting global innovation in the TCM sector, and cultivating new drivers for TCM development.

He Jialang, Vice President of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, attended the conference online from Italy and delivered a speech. The main points of his address are as follows:

Abroad, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is undoubtedly the most valuable and significant component of alternative medicine. We take this opportunity to extend our special gratitude to the team of TCM experts led by Academician Zhang Boli, who promptly shared the latest clinical experiences and specific protocols for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 with TCM during the initial outbreak of the pandemic overseas. We thank the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for organizing medical teams and supplying medical resources to provide timely support to local populations and overseas Chinese communities in severely affected regions. We also express our appreciation to the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies and the China Association of Chinese Medicine for organizing dozens of online live lectures by experts, facilitating exchange and interaction with medical professionals and TCM practitioners worldwide, thereby providing us with essential supplementary education and continuing professional development.

We also extend our gratitude to WeDoctor Group, particularly the experts of the Hua Tuo Cloud team, for establishing an international online platform for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the fight against the pandemic, thereby rapidly disseminating TCM diagnostic and treatment experiences to countries and regions worldwide. The survival and development of TCM overseas are fundamentally grounded in its clinical safety and efficacy, as well as its complementary role to mainstream Western medicine abroad. TCM boasts a long historical experience in combating various plagues and epidemics, along with practical experience in the integration of TCM and Western medicine. This constitutes the foundation of our confidence.

At present, our generation bears a heavy responsibility and a long journey ahead in responding to the new situation by strengthening the dissemination of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) culture and science popularization via the internet, sharing global experiences in TCM-based disease prevention and treatment, providing remote TCM education and training for various countries, and delivering remote medical services. The practical experience of TCM’s participation in global epidemic prevention and control is writing a new chapter in the medical history of humanity in the 21st century. History will ultimately demonstrate the significant contributions of ancient TCM wisdom to human health and civilization.