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Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation to attend the World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 held in Beijing today (October 17) to have in-depth discussions and exchanges with senior health officials from around the world, as well as experts and academics in the traditional medicine field on issues related to traditional medicine, including legislation, policy and regulation, scientific research, talent cultivation, empowerment of artificial intelligence, as well as promotion of integration of traditional medicine into healthcare service systems.
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The conference is jointly organised by the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, the National Health Commission (NHC), the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in collaboration with the World Health Organization. At the opening ceremony, Professor Lo listened to Premier Li Qiang’s keynote speech. Speaking at the panel discussions of the traditional medicine government forum, Professor Lo shared with attendees the strategic direction for integrating Chinese medicine (CM) into the healthcare system in Hong Kong.
Professor Lo said, “CM is a treasure of Chinese civilisation. The National 15th Five-Year Plan emphasises the promotion of CM heritage and innovation. It also explicitly calls for improving the CM service system, enhancing primary care-level CM services, and developing integrated Chinese-Western medicine services. To fully align with the country’s vision, the Chief Executive expressly pointed out in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) (2026-2030) (Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan) and the 2026 Policy Address announced last month that Hong Kong will promote comprehensive, high-quality, and high-standard development of CM, thereby ensuring Hong Kong seamlessly aligns with the national development strategy of building a ‘Healthy China’.
“The HKSAR Government will step up efforts to promote the development of CM. Through the two flagship institutions, The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute, Hong Kong will strive to promote pure CM and integrated Chinese-Western medicine services as the ‘Hong Kong model’ in the modern healthcare system. Furthermore, by further advancing local integrated Chinese and Western medicine services and CM talent cultivation, fostering international research collaboration in herb-drug interaction, and establishing rigorous quality standards for Chinese herbal medicines, Hong Kong will fully leverage our role as a bridgehead to provide a high-standard reference model for the world,” he added.
During the conference, Professor Lo and his delegation met with Vice Minister of the NHC Mr Zheng Zhe, and the Commissioner of the NMPA, Mr Huang Guo, respectively to introduce to them the healthcare-related policies in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address.
Professor Lo said to Mr Zheng, “With our high-quality healthcare professionals and highly efficient healthcare system, Hong Kong boasts a number of world-leading health indicators, and is among the regions with the longest life expectancies in the world. Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan is interconnected with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. In line with the strategic initiative of accelerating the building of a ‘Healthy China’ of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan proposes deepening healthcare system reform, advancing the high-quality development of primary healthcare, and enhancing the resilience of Hong Kong’s healthcare services, thereby building a healthy and vibrant Hong Kong with concerted efforts.”
He also said, “Building a ‘Healthy China’ is a major national strategy. In an important speech delivered at the recently convened National Meeting on Health, President Xi Jinping emphasised that the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan is a crucial moment of achieving the goal of building a ‘Healthy China’ by 2035. To build a balanced, inclusive, high-quality and efficient ‘Healthy China’, it is necessary to possess six core capabilities in health management, disease prevention and control, healthcare services, health insurance support, health and medical innovation, and talent cultivation. In active alignment with this initiative, the HKSAR Government will advance Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, upholding the principle of prevention first and a health-centred approach to deepen healthcare system reform, develop an international health and medical innovation hub, leverage the role as a ‘super connector’ in healthcare and build a healthy and vibrant Hong Kong with concerted efforts, hence better integrating into and serving the overall development of a ‘Healthy China’.”
During the meeting with Mr Huang, Professor Lo provided him with details on the latest progress of the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation (CMPR), including the establishment of the CMPR by the end of this year, the appointment of Mr Li Zili as the Controller for Medical Products Regulation, and the application for accession as a member of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use. The CMPR will progressively establish a robust drug approval system, aiming for the full implementation of “primary evaluation” mechanism for new drug registration by 2030, thereby becoming an internationally recognised regulatory authority for medical products.
Members of the Hong Kong delegation include the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, and the Controller-designate for Medical Products Regulation, Mr Li Zili, as well as representatives of the Health Bureau, the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority. The Hospital Chief Executive of CMHHK, Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, also joined the delegation for the conference.
Members of the Hong Kong delegation will continue to attend the conference tomorrow (October 18). Professor Lo will participate in the high-level government forum: “Belt and Road Traditional Chinese Medicine Development Conference (Ministerial Level) Roundtable Dialogue” at the conference. A representative of the DH will also share the latest progress regarding the regulation of Chinese medicines during the parallel session of the conference. Professor Lo and his delegation will return to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon (October 18).
Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health attends World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London
The Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Miss Pamela Lam, concluded a four-day visit to London, the United Kingdom (UK) on October 17 (London time). During her visit, Miss Lam took part in a series of events covering talent recruitment, economic and trade promotion, cultural industries and youth development to promote Hong Kong’s strengths and the development opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), as well as Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan.
During the visit, Miss Lam attended the “Hong Kong • Global Talent & Career Showcase” organised by Hong Kong Talent Engage to introduce GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths. In her keynote speech, she said that Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan clearly states that Hong Kong will continue to participate in the development of the GBA into an international first-class bay area with global influence. Among the initiatives, the Northern Metropolis serves as the main platform for Hong Kong to deeply engage in the development of the GBA, and to actively integrate into and serve overall national development. The Hong Kong Park in the Hetao ShenzhenHong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone is a cross-boundary co-operation platform that is a key national development priority, where enterprises and international professionals can leverage Hong Kong’s internationalised innovation and technology (I&T) research and business environment to gain easy access to the industrial chains and markets of Shenzhen and other GBA cities, bringing unprecedented opportunities for global talent.
Miss Lam also attended a business luncheon jointly organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office (GBA Office) and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London. She briefed representatives from the business sector, including the China-Britain Business Council and the Hong Kong Association, on Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, as well as Hong Kong’s outstanding performance in economic freedom, competitiveness and financial markets. She stressed that over the next five years, Hong Kong will consolidate and enhance its traditional strengths, strengthen I&T co-operation and prioritise the Northern Metropolis for future development to open a new chapter for I&T. She encouraged enterprises to leverage Hong Kong’s advantage of being closely connected to both the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world, and to establish a presence in the city to tap into the huge GBA market .
On the youth and cultural front, Miss Lam met with Hong Kong students studying in the UK, and introduced the diverse opportunities available for young people across various sectors under the GBA development as set out in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan. She also attended a cocktail reception to promote culture and the arts in the GBA. In her speech, she highlighted that during the National 15th Five-Year Plan period, Hong Kong will continue in its important role as an East-meets-West centre for cultural and artistic exchange. Hong Kong is among the world’s top three arts trading centres. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will further expand the scale of Hong Kong’s cultural and creative industries. She encouraged collectors, museums, and arts and cultural institutions around the world to make good use of Hong Kong’s role as the “super connector” and “super value-adder” to connect with the vast cultural and arts markets and resources in the GBA.
While in London, Miss Lam also called on the Minister and Chief of the Economic and Commercial Section of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, Mr Yu Benlin, and briefed him on Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the work of the HKSAR Government in taking forward GBA development.
The GBA Office will continue to step up promotion of the opportunities in GBA development and Hong Kong’s strengths through overseas visits and by leveraging the international connections of overseas Economic and Trade Offices and partner organisations.
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area promotes GBA opportunities and Hong Kong’s strengths in London Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
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