TCM footprint now covers 196 countries; acupuncture recognized by 113 WHO members

Traditional Chinese medicine has spread to 196 countries and nations across the world and more than 100 types of TCM drugs have obtained registration in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, with the market size estimated to exceed 4.8 trillion yuan ($665.3 billion) by 2025, China's Health Minister said on Monday.

Lei Haichao, minister of the National Health Commission, said that acupuncture is now recognized in 113 member states of the World Health Organization. Also, a TCM technology committee under the International Organization for Standardization has issued 119 TCM-related standards.

Lei made the statements in a signed article that called for strengthened efforts to make TCM better benefit people around the world. It was released by Study Times, a newspaper administered by the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China.

Lei highlighted the significance of deepening cooperation with the WHO, the ISO and other international organizations, and advancing the development of TCM standards.

He said that more high-quality overseas TCM centers will be established and more TCM clinics or training facilities will be set up in key Belt and Road countries and African nations.

Efforts will also be made to explore the establishment of TCM hospitals overseas and ensure that all Chinese medical aid teams dispatched abroad include TCM practitioners.

Lei also proposed collaborating with the WHO to build an international clinical trial registration platform for traditional medicine. The objective is to cultivate a batch of competitive TCM companies and brands with high added value to drive the entire industrial chain development of TCM.