The numerous audience present at the session was higher than projected
Organized by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) in collaboration with the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, and jointly co-ordinated by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Cooperation between Guangdong and Macao (hereinafter, “GMTCM Park”) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor Association of Thailand, the “2018 Traditional Medicine International Development Forum (Thailand)” was solemnly inaugurated on May 10, 2018, in Bangkok, Thailand. Nearly 400 guests were present at the event, comprising representatives from relevant government authorities coming from 7 ASEAN countries, having engaged in discussions and in-depth exchanges on pertinent issues, in particular the current situation and development perspectives for the TCM industry. It has attracted a high participation in a very warm atmosphere, demonstrating Macao’s full role as a platform connecting the ASEAN countries with Mainland China in fostering their joint development of TCM, at international level.
The officiating distinguished guests attending the opening ceremony of the Forum comprised the Chief Executive of MSAR Government, Chui Sai On, the Vice-Commissioner of State of Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Yan Shujiang, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China of the Kingdom of Thailand, Lyu Jian, the Representative of the Minister of Public Health of the Kingdom of Thailand and Director-General of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Kiattibhoom Vongrachit, the Representative of the Minister of The Kingdom of Cambodia, Yim Yann, the Secretary for Administration and Justice of MSAR Government, Sónia Chan Hoi Fan, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam Chon Weng as well as representatives from the relevant government authorities from 7 ASEAN countries, among others.
At the opening ceremony, the MSAR Government Chief Executive Chui Sai On, the Vice-Commissioner Yan Shujiang, the Ambassador Lyu Jian, and the Director-General Kiattibhoom Vongrachit, among other guests, respectively, delivered their opening remarks, having shared their common expectations that the GMTCM Park would reinforce Macao’s functions as a platform connecting the ASEAN countries with Mainland China so as to facilitate the professionals in their respective traditional medicine fields to build the platform, while seizing better development opportunities for their joint promotion of the development and internationalization of the Traditional Medicine.
Nearly 400 professionals were invited to the event, comprising renowned individuals from government authorities, specialists and representatives from enterprises and industry associations from 7 countries, namely China, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and East-Timor, among others, having been engaged in discussions and exchanges of views on import and export trade, the line of thought on product development, and the application of Traditional Medicine promotional model, among other topics. The Agenda of the Forum comprised of keynote speeches, themed reports, business matching and exchange session.
As for the themed reports session, both Chinese and Thai specialists and scholars were invited to address the turning point in the development of external trade in Traditional Medicine products sourced from China-ASEAN, the development perspectives for TCM respectively in Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines, the current situation of TCM and related health care industry, the international trade situation of TCM, and so on, having this edition experienced a high participation, in a very warm atmosphere.
On the fringe of the Forum, the GMTCM Park held the Awarding Ceremony of “Thailand-Macao Academic Exchanges on TCM and Free Consultation” in addition to the signing ceremonies of a Cooperation Memorandum with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor Association of Thailand, and of a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement with China Merchants Lippo Hospital Management (Shenzhen) Limited, with the view to enhancing business expansion for the GMTCM Park, on the basis of Macao’s platform functions in promoting and disseminating the culture field as well as the exchanges on clinical techniques in Traditional Medicine to the acceding countries of the Central Government’s “Belt and Road”.
The present edition of the Forum was strongly supported by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine of the Ministry of Public Health Thailand (DTAM), the MSAR Government Health Bureau, the MSAR Government Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products, and the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in addition to the Thailand-China Chamber of Commerce and the Thailand-China Economy Association, in their capacity as co-organizing entities.
Furthermore, on the following day (May 11), witnessed by the invited guests present at the session, the “Thai-Macao Academic Exchanges on TCM and Free Consultation” was held, with approximately 15 professionals, including TCM renowned specialists from the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of TCM, TCM chief practitioners from Thailand, and outstanding youth TCM practitioners from Macao, who have jointly provided services such as pulse diagnosis, massage, dietetics, and consultancy in TCM health care, giving way to academic exchanges in TCM clinical techniques.
