China-Pakistan strengthen relations through traditional Chinese medicine cooperation

ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan are strengthening their bilateral relations through cooperation in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The health authorities of Sindh have initiated a program in which China will assist the country in training young doctors proficient in TCM.

The Sino-Pakistan Cooperation Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (SPCCTCM) in the southern Hunan province of China will train the first batch of ten young doctors in TCM theory and clinical practice. Upon completion of their training, they will return to their hometowns in Pakistan to carry out TCM diagnosis and treatment.

The SPCCTCM, jointly established by the Hunan University of Medicine and the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences of the University of Karachi in Pakistan in 2020, aims to build an international cooperation centre integrating healthcare, TCM education and training, scientific research, and industrial cooperation.

This training project, with support from both the Chinese and Pakistani governments, will unite TCM colleges and hospitals to train talents with a certain level of TCM theory and clinical practice skills for Pakistan.

The cooperation between China and Pakistan in TCM is not only an academic exchange but also a cultural exchange, which will help further enhance the friendship between the two countries. Recently, an event was held in Islamabad to mark the return of Pakistani plant seeds from the Chinese space station. Chinese and Pakistani researchers at the SPCCTCM will use these seeds to carry out breeding research and study the differences between planting on Earth and in space.

The acceptance of TCM in Pakistan has been increasing in recent years. Last year, a proprietary Chinese medicine, Jinhua Qinggan Granule, had a significant effect on treating Covid-19 patients in Pakistan. The Chinese side is also in communication with the Pakistani side to promote the registration process of another Chinese medicine in Pakistan. The aim is to promote the entry of TCM into Pakistan and other countries along the Belt and Road (BRI) so that Chinese medicine can serve more people in the world.