Traditional Chinese Medicine Enters a New Era: State Council Establishes Inter-Ministerial Coordination Mechanism Involving 36 Ministries

At the recently concluded National Conference on Health and Hygiene, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to vigorously promote the revitalization and development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), uphold equal emphasis on both TCM and Western medicine, foster their complementary and coordinated development, and strive to achieve the creative transformation and innovative development of TCM’s health and wellness culture.

On August 25, the State Council issued a document stating its approval for the establishment ofInter-Ministerial Joint Conference System on Traditional Chinese Medicine Work of the State Council。

The document states that the joint ministerial conference system will coordinate and provide macro-level guidance for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) work across China, formulate policies to promote the reform and development of the TCM sector, and facilitate the implementation of relevant policy measures. The establishment of the State Council’s Inter-Ministerial Joint Conference on TCM Work serves as a harbinger of the integration of the broader health industry into various sectors. Soon, as a flagship initiative within the broader health landscape, TCM is poised to achieve significant strategic breakthroughs.

State Council Official in Charge of Traditional Chinese Medicine AffairsLiu YandongLi Bin, Director of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, serves as the convener of the joint conference, with Jiang Xiaojuan, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council in charge of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and Wang Guoqiang, Director of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, serving as deputy conveners. This unprecedentedly strong lineup demonstrates the nation’s determination to develop the TCM sector.

The Inter-Ministerial Joint Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine Work of the State Council comprises the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, etc.36 National Core Ministries and CommissionsComposition: All deputy heads of ministries serve as members of the joint conference, wielding substantial influence and exerting an unprecedented impact on the advancement of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) work. This demonstrates that the development of TCM has been elevated to a strategic level aimed at stimulating domestic demand.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become a critical lever and focal point of the national health strategy. The establishment of the State Council’s Inter-Ministerial Joint Conference on TCM will set a new policy benchmark, guiding TCM to expand beyond its traditional domains—such as clinical practice, pharmacies, hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and wellness and healthcare—to assume more diversified social roles. As an important representative of traditional Chinese culture, TCM is also going global, playing an increasingly significant role in realizing the “Chinese Dream.”

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