Southwest China's Yunnan Province has decided to step up development of its pharmaceutical industry by combining its rich abundance of natural herbs with modern technology.

Provincial Party Secretary Linghu An told reporters recently that conditions for developing herbal medicine are ripe. "Herbal medicine will become a major industry of the province in the future," he said.

According to statistics, 6,500 out of the 11,000 kinds of medicinal herbs in China are grown in Yunnan. To support the development of herbal medicine, the local government has injected more funds into a natural herbs laboratory and a bioengineering center. Three other herbal medicine research centers are also being built.

Yunnan is home to famous brands of herbal medicines popular among Chinese at home and abroad, including Yunnan Baiyao (hemostasia powder) and Yunnan Sanqi (a herb used to improve blood circulation) series products.

Chen Ruchang, a medical researcher with Yunnan Natural Herbs Laboratory, said Western medicines often create their own immunity in the human body if used over a long period of time, and there are lots of side effects.

"More and more people are turning to herbal medicines for a number of chronic ailments and diseases with little or no side effects."