A leading scholar has called for greater co-operation with the West in a bid to develop Chinese medicine.
Professor Arthur Li Kwok- cheung, vice-chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), was speaking at a two-day symposium on modern Chinese medicine at the university. Scholars from the mainland and overseas gave speeches on education, research and developments in the field of Chinese medicine.
The symposium was organised by the School of Chinese Medicine at the CUHK and co- organised by the Guangdong Pharmaceutical Society of Chinese Medicine. Specialists from the United States, Australia, Italy, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the mainland were invited.
Professor Li said increased collaboration with Western medicine was crucial to the development of Chinese medicine.
Professor Li said: 'Chinese medicine is a part of human knowledge that blends science and experience. We should treasure this knowledge and build on it with education.' Dr Leung Ting-hung, assistant director of health at the Department of Health, has been working on the Chinese Medicine Bill which will probably be passed by Legco this summer. The bill will set up a professional council to register practitioners and also administer standardised examinations.
'Chinese medicine needs a steady and gradual development in Hong Kong,' Dr Leung said.
Chu Zhinong, head of the Department of Education, Science and Technology at the Xinhua News Agency (Hong Kong branch), applauded the seminar which allowed academics from around the world to share their experience and views.