with Li Xingwang, Vice Chairman (vice minister-level) of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on April 28 in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province, China, together with delegations from NEAR member governments, related organizations, and companies attending the 2nd NEAR Subcommittee on Traditional Medicine meeting.
Vice Chairman Li introduced Shaanxi’s strengths in historical culture, natural resources, ecological environment, and traditional medicine, noting that since joining NEAR in 2019, the province has shared resources and engaged in mutual cooperation with member governments in various fields such as energy, technological innovation, culture, and traditional medicine to achieve common development. He also expressed hope that, through this subcommittee meeting, exchanges and cooperation between Shaanxi Province—particularly Ankang City, known for its “National Bio-gene Bank (天然生物基因库),” “China Selenium Valley (中国硒谷),” and “Qinba Medicinal Village (秦巴药乡)”—and each member government would deepen across various fields such as traditional medicine, agriculture, economy, and trade, and lead to tangible outcomes.
In response, Secretary-General LIM emphasized that NEAR is the largest multilateral cooperation platform among local governments in Northeast Asia, with 82 member regional governments from six countries. He acknowledged Shaanxi’s active participation in various NEAR initiatives since joining in 2016, and especially its significant contribution to NEAR’s development through the Traditional Medicine Subcommittee. He added that the NEAR Secretariat would continue to fully support the subcommittee, so that it may serve as a model case of successful operation.
The group meeting was attended by 14 representatives from five countries—Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan—including Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin; Saingtsog, Vice Governor of Selenge Aimag, Mongolia; Yevgeniya Rudupova, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia; Hong Soon-chang, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Xi’an; Tserentundeu Gankhurel, Director of the Administration Department of Uvurkhangai Aimag, Mongolia; and Baidauvaliyev Askhan, Director of the Health Bureau of Turkestan Region, Kazakhstan.
From Shaanxi Province, 14 individuals attended, including Vice Chairman Li Xingwang; Wu Wengang, Party Secretary of Ankang City; Wang Hao, Mayor of Ankang City; Huang Zan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shaanxi Provincial CPPCC; Gao Jinxiao, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shaanxi Province; Kong Qun, Deputy Director of the Shaanxi Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Pan Huafeng, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region; and Sun Baofeng, Vice Mayor of Ankang City.