NANNING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has unveiled a guideline to promote the preservation and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including the Zhuang and Yao ethnic medicines.

Guangxi, which has the largest ethnic minority population in China, has witnessed an increasing demand for Zhuang and Yao medicines, the traditional ways of curing diseases among the two ethnic groups, said the guideline issued on Thursday.

The document stressed efforts in beefing up the construction of TCM service institutions and enhancing the use of TCM in medical and healthcare service systems in the region.

All counties in Guangxi will have TCM medical institutions and more than 85 percent of the county-level general hospitals are expected to have standardized TCM departments and pharmacies by 2022, according to the guideline.

The guideline also outlined measures to promote the high-quality development of the TCM industry, strengthen the competence of TCM personnel, and encourage the preservation and innovation of traditional medicine.