La Jielian talks with a patient in his clinic. (Photo provided by La Jielian)

A doctor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from northwestern China’s Gansu province is contributing his skills to help cement China-Pakistan friendship.

Running a Chinese medical center in Islamabad, Pakistan, Chinese doctor La Jielian has been offering medical services to locals for the past 28 years.

So far, La’s medical center has received a total of 200,000 patients, including Pakistanis and Chinese, as well as people from other countries.

To offer high-quality services and treat more people, La works 10 hours every day, even at weekends. He has become a famous doctor in the local community, and now enjoys a high reputation.

“TCM has a market in Islamabad,” La said.

Practicing TCM for over two decades in Pakistan, La has elevated the ordinary doctor-patient relationship to profound friendship. Though he has decided to open a larger clinic elsewhere in Islamabad, La still keeps the original one in case his patients fail to find the new one.

Over recent years, La has frequently visited remote places in Pakistan to offer medical services, most of which were project sites of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major component of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Since the construction of the CPEC, many Chinese enterprises have entered Pakistan. However, infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue are a threat to Chinese construction workers in remote areas, and the language barrier also poses a difficulty when it comes to receiving medical treatment.

Upon learning this, La began to offer medical services to these people, and call-outs to remote areas are now commonplace.

“We are serving the BRI construction,” La said proudly.

During his years in Pakistan, La has witnessed changes in employment, education, livelihood and other fields brought by China-Pakistan cooperation.

“I was concerned about our safety in Pakistan a few years ago, and even considered moving my family to another country. However, I found it too difficult to leave my patients and friends here,” La concluded.