International Congress on Traditional Medicine Opens in BeijingAn international congress focusing on the development and application of traditional medicine in the new century opened today in Beijing.More than 2,500 health officials and traditional medicine specialists from 43 countries and regions participated the International Congress on Traditional Medicine (Beijing 2000), jointly launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and China' s State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In a congratulatory letter to the meeting, Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing, also one of honorable chairpersons of the congress, noted that the importance of traditional medicine is being recognized at a time when the world is experiencing rapid development in science and technology. He stressed that the Chinese government has been paying equal attention to modern medicine and traditional medicine, and he expressed the hope that the Congress may better help promote exchanges and co-operation in traditional medicine around the world. Chinese Health Minister Zhang Wenkang, who chairs the congress, said at the opening ceremony that "traditional medicine is facing a hard-won opportunity for development" as its importance is being recognized around the world. Policy-making forums, academic symposiums and an exhibition will be held at the three-day meeting at the Beijing International Convention Center. Symposiums will mainly discuss the newest findings in laboratory and clinical research in treating disease using traditional medicine. The diseases range from cerebral and cardiovascular diseases, rheumatism, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS to old age-related illnesses. Other topics include modernization of traditional Chinese medicine), new developments in drugs, and non-drug therapies such as acupuncture, massage and breathing exercises. |
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