China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue in TCM Collaboration

Initiated by Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush in 2006, the China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) is held twice a year in China and the United States, alternately.  In the 3rd SED session, both sides agreed to include the collaboration on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the agenda of the 4th SED meeting.

The 4th SED meeting, co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and US Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, who served as special representatives of President Hu Jintao and President George W. Bush respectively, was held from 17 to 18 June in Annapolis, Maryland.  Chinese Vice Minister of Health cum Director of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM) Wang Guoqiang attended the meeting and delivered a keynote speech in the “Public Investment” session.  In his speech, Mr. Wang outlined a proposed framework for TCM collaboration between the two nations. He also briefed the audience of the existing systems of TCM education, R&D, manufacturing and quality assurance in China, which have been established to strengthen the control and regulation of TCM.  In particular, the training and accreditation of TCM specialists was one of the key areas under close supervision by the government.

Mr. Wang also attended the US-China TCM R&D Roundtable together with US Secretary of Health and Human Services Mr. Michael Leavitt on 16th June 2008. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on collaborative research in integrative and traditional Chinese medicine was signed, starting a new chapter in China-US collaboration. According to the memorandum, a joint task-force will be teamed up to coordinate multi-lateral cooperation among medical institutes and scientists in acupuncture, basic research on TCM safety and efficacy, as well as clinical trials. 

Both Mr. Wang and Mr. Leavitt agreed that China-US cooperation would facilitate mutual understanding between western medicine and TCM. The signing of the MOU would serve as an exchange platform for constructive and cooperative relationship between the two nations.  As TCM is gaining wider recognition in the US as a complementary/alternative treatment, it would play a more important role in medical and health care service, hence contributing to the further improvement of human health and quality of life. 

The US-China TCM R&D Roundtable was held in the National Institutes of Health.  Top health officials of the two countries, including Deputy Director of SATCM Mr. Li Da-ning and US Commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration Dr Andrew C. von Eschenbach, joined the meeting.  Mr. Wang also took the opportunity to visit the National Cancer Institute of NIH and talked with some of the TCM specialists working there.

Sources:
People’s Daily On-line  english.peopledaily.com.cn
Ministry of Health, PRC  www.moh.gov.cn
State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine  www.satcm.gov.cn