Stories of state gifts from Xi: Bronze acupuncture statue helps better introduce TCM to world

At the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland stands a 1.8 meter-tall bronze acupuncture statue with 559 acupuncture points marked on its body. It was a gift from Chinese President Xi Jinping to WHO during his visit to the organization on Jan. 18, 2017.

A bronze acupuncture statue presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the World Health Organization (WHO), which shows acupuncture points on the human body. (Photo/Xinhua)

At the gift presentation ceremony, Xi and then-WHO Director-General Margaret Chan jointly unveiled the bronze acupuncture statute. While addressing the presentation ceremony, Xi called for efforts to inherit, develop, and make good use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and promote better integration of traditional and modern medicines with an open and inclusive mindset.

As an aid for training and testing acupuncture practitioners, the figure has become a symbol of TCM. Chinese acupuncture was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Nov. 16, 2010.

Xi has "endorsed" TCM on many international occasions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) meets with Margaret Chan (2nd R), Director-General of WHO in Geneva, Switzerland, Jan. 18, 2017. (Photo/Xinhua)

In November 2014 at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Xi witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Western Sydney University on establishing the Chinese Medicine Centre in Australia.

In July 2018, Xi published a signed article in three South African newspapers, noting that acupuncture, cupping and other traditional Chinese therapies have been introduced to the South African people as a new option to treat illnesses and keep fit.

In December 2022 at the first China-Arab States Summit, Xi proposed eight major initiatives for practical China-Arab cooperation, which include carrying out five cooperation projects of TCM in Arab states .

TCM has been introduced to 196 countries and regions around the world. China has signed special cooperation agreements on TCM with more than 40 foreign governments, regional authorities and international organizations for the building of 75 bases for international cooperation on TCM, and 31 national TCM service export bases.