WFCMS President Ma Jianzhong: Leveraging the Internet to Globalize Traditional Chinese Medicine

Ma Jianzhong, President of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies

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 • Health and Wellness in Jinan—Development of the Internet-Enabled Big 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.

Ma Jianzhong, President of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, delivered an address to the conference. The main points of his speech are as follows:

As the world’s largest international academic organization for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) is committed to promoting the global dissemination and development of TCM. Currently, it spans five continents and covers 72 countries and regions, with 276 organizational members and 199 branches. It has also established formal official relations with multiple international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The Internet, with its convenience in transcending time and space, has become deeply integrated with healthcare. It enables more precise alignment with and fulfillment of the public’s multi-level, diverse, and personalized health needs, allowing people to genuinely benefit from the health dividends brought by Internet-based innovations. This makes seeking medical care more worry-free, less laborious, time-saving, and cost-effective. During epidemic prevention and control, the application of online consultations, follow-up visits, and remote consultations has demonstrated the unique advantages of “Internet + Healthcare,” making Internet-based diagnosis and treatment an essential component of medical services.

Shandong is a major province for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), boasting a long history of development, a solid foundation, and immense potential. Jinan serves as the hub for TCM development in Shandong Province and is a gathering place for TCM talent. The internet-based general health industry is developing soundly, with innovative practices continuously emerging. In April this year, the establishment of the Shandong Internet Medical Insurance and General Health Service Platform created an integrated medical security service system encompassing “Internet + Medical Insurance + Healthcare + Pharmaceuticals.” Digital TCM has become one of the most important innovative services within this system. In July this year, China’s first inter-provincial TCM procurement alliance was announced, leveraging digital platforms to establish a cross-regional, standardized trading and digital service system for Chinese herbal medicines. The World TCM Internet Industry Conference has been hosted in Bianque Health Town, and the joint preparation for the World Institute of Digital TCM will provide a strong demonstration for the deep integration and development of the internet and TCM in Shandong.

The World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies is willing to leverage its domestic and international resources, mobilize its members to actively engage in broader and deeper cooperation with Shandong Province, and jointly promote the global expansion of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Shandong.