LIM Byung-jin, Secretary-General of the Association of North East Asia Regional Governments (NEAR), attended the 2nd NEAR Subcommittee on Traditional Medicine held on April 29 (Tue) at the Ruisi Li Hotel in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province, China, under the theme of “Sharing New Opportunities of Traditional Medicine for Building a Global Health Community,” and delivered a congratulatory address.
The subcommittee, hosted by Shaanxi Province, was attended by about 200 participants including 20 delegations from NEAR member local governments, non-member entities such as Ehime Prefecture and Tokyo Metropolitan Government of Japan, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Xi’an, and Turkestan Region of Kazakhstan, which is scheduled to join NEAR as an associate member in June this year.
At the opening ceremony, welcoming remarks were delivered by Vice Governor Li Xingwang of Shaanxi Province, followed by congratulatory messages from Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin, Vice Governor Saingtsog of Selenge Aimag, Mongolia, Deputy Prime Minister Yevgeniya Rudupova of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, and Consul General Hong Soon-chang of the Republic of Korea in Xi’an. The ceremony was hosted by Sun Baofeng, Vice Mayor of Ankang City.
In his congratulatory address, LIM stated, “Since joining NEAR in 2016, Shaanxi Province has actively participated in various activities. In particular, since 2018, it has hosted the Subcommittee on Traditional Medicine and successfully held the 1st meeting in 2022 and now the 2nd meeting, greatly contributing to the promotion of interregional cooperation in the field of traditional medicine in Northeast Asia.” He also added, “The NEAR Secretariat will actively support the development of the Subcommittee on Traditional Medicine into one of NEAR’s most successful models.”
In his welcoming speech, Vice Governor Li Xingwang greeted the delegations from each country and introduced Shaanxi Province as a major region in the traditional medicine field, based on more than 4,100 species of traditional medicinal herbs and a vast cultivation area. He added, “By integrating modern technology, we are continuously advancing the traditional medicine industry. Through this meeting, we hope to strengthen cooperation with Northeast Asian countries and realize the modern value of traditional medicine and yield tangible outcomes.”
<Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia>
<Vice Governor of Selenge Aimag, Mongolia>
<Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Xi’an>
At the main session, the event began with an investment briefing on Ankang’s traditional Chinese medicine industry, followed by keynote speeches by Professor Hwang Se-jin of Daegu Haany University and President Yang Xiaohang of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine.
Presentations then continued by Pan Huafeng, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region; Wang Mingwei, Director of the Xi’an Government Exchange Center of Ehime Prefecture, Japan; Baek Ki-dong, Director of Hanjou Agricultural Corporation, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea; Deputy Prime Minister Rudupova; Baidauvaliyev Askhan, Director of the Health Bureau of Kazakhstan; Batjargal, traditional medicine doctor from Dornogovi Aimag, Mongolia; and Arakta Karakis, Head of the Arzhan Studies and Tourism Institute of the Republic of Tuva, Russia. Investment briefings by Chinese and Russian companies were also held.
<Professor Hwang Se-jin of Daegu college of Korean Medicine>
<Director Baek Ki-dong of Hanjou Agricultural Corporation, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea>
<Deputy Prime Minister Rudupova of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia> <Director Baidauvaliyev Askhan of the Health Bureau of Kazakhstan>
<Doctor Batjargal of Traditional Medicine, Dornogovi Aimag, Mongolia>
<Arakta Karakis, Head of Arzhan Studies and Tourism Institute, Republic of Tuva, Russia>
The event concluded with the signing of MOUs in the fields of economy, education, and agriculture between 10 Shaanxi-based companies and Korean institutions and enterprises, including Daegu Haany University, Ankang Gaoxin District Hospital, Hanjou Agricultural Corporation, and Zhenping Feidi Eco-Industrial Park.
In the afternoon, participants visited the Zhenping County Niutoudian Traditional Medicine Science and Technology Innovation Park (镇坪县牛头镇中药科创园) and Xiaoshishanju (小石山居) folk inn.
