The World Health Organisation and the city's Department of Health yesterday launched their first collaboration on traditional Chinese medicine.
About 200 health experts from around the world attended an inauguration ceremony in the Shangri-La hotel in Admiralty to mark the opening of the Collaboration Centre of Traditional Medicine.
Headed by an official from the Health Department's Chinese medicine division, it will help the WHO draw up policies and strategies as well as set international regulatory standards for Chinese medicine.
At the ceremony, Health Department director Dr Lam Ping-yan said the collaboration recognised Hong Kong's efforts in developing and promoting Chinese medicine.
He noted it was the 15th anniversary of the department's Chinese medicine division, adding: 'Acting as a hub for knowledge and information exchange in the Western Pacific region, our centre is an ideal breeding ground to train up professionals.'
The Hong Kong authorities have set up 16 Chinese medicine clinics and provide joint Chinese and Western treatment at 20 hospitals.