- Over 100 participants from 32 regional governments across seven countries and five institutions attended in the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, the NEAR Chair Government.
- Secretary General Lim Byung-jin emphasized "NEAR has expanded to 96 member governments, marking its transformation into the largest-ever multilateral cooperation platform."
- A resolution was adopted on innovation in traditional medicine and the establishment of value chains, alongside the signing of a record number of MOUs.
NEAR Secretary General Lim Byung-jin attended and delivered a congratulatory speech at the 3rd NEAR Subcommittee on Traditional Medicine, held on June 18 (Thursday) in Ulan-Ude, Republic of Buryatia, Russia.
The Subcommittee was jointly organized by the Government of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, and the NEAR Secretariat. It was successfully held with the participation of approximately 100 attendees including traditional medicine experts and high-level representatives from 32 member governments across seven countries, including Russia, Korea, China, Mongolia, as well as five relevant institutions.
At the opening ceremony, welcome speech was delivered by Aleksey Tsydenov, Head of the Republic of Buryatia, followed by the opening speech of NEAR Secretary General Lim Byung-jin.
In his welcome speech, Aleksey Tsydenov, Head of the Republic of Buryatia, stated that “he warmly welcomed the representatives from NEAR member governments visiting Buryatia, the Chair Government.” He noted that “the Republic of Buryatia seeks to promote practical multilateral cooperation among member governments, particularly in the field of traditional medicine, through open exchanges of experience and joint scientific research.” He further emphasized that, “on the occasion of this Subcommittee, regional governments in Northeast Asia should join hands to advance human health and medical development and work together toward a future of shared prosperity.”
Secretary General Lim Byung-jin congratulated the successful convening of the Subcommittee and stated that, “following the final approval of one member and five associate members at the preceding High-Level Working Committee, NEAR has now evolved into the largest multilateral exchange and cooperation platform, comprising 96 local governments across 10 countries.” He also expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Buryatia for its excellent leadership as the Chair Government, and stated that “NEAR would provide full support to ensure that this Subcommittee serves as a strong foundation for the mutual development of the traditional medicine industry in Northeast Asia.”
In the subsequent presentation session, a total of 17 thematic presentations were delivered under the theme of the inheritance of traditional medicine and its scientific integration.
▲In Session I, high-level officials from the hosting region, the Republic of Buryatia, delivered special speech. Evgeniya Yuryevna Ludupova, Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Buryatia and Minister of Health, introduced the achievements of the Buryat school in basic scientific research, as well as the current status of infrastructure development for the “Eastern Longevity” program within the Baikal interuniversity campus. And then, Amgalan D. Darmaev, Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Buryatia and Minister of Agriculture and Food, presented the region’s vision for the cultivation of medicinal raw materials and plant resources that form the foundation of the traditional medicine industry, as well as proposals for agricultural cooperation among Northeast Asian regional governments.
Following the host organization’s special address, presentations were delivered by the NEAR member government representatives. From the Chinese side, Dong Wei, Director of the Health Commission of Henan Province; Sun Zhengao, Deputy Director of the Reproductive Medicine Center at the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Yang Shouyan, Vice Mayor of Ankang City, Shaanxi Province; and Gong Qun, Deputy Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, shared their respective regional governments’ policies on the traditional medicine industry and its development status. Subsequently, Takhtanyam Zoljaya, Director of the Regional Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Mongolia, and from Russia, Yekaterina Ivanovna Perelikhova, Chief Nutritionist of Kuzbass, and Lyudmila Salchakovna Erdiniyeva, Director of the Institute of Medical and Social Issues and Management of the Republic of Tuva, proposed initiatives regarding traditional medicine infrastructure in their regions and potential avenues for multilateral cooperation.
▲In Session II, scholars and professors from prestigious institutions such as the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (VILAR), Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, the Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA) of Russia, and the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences participated. They presented research findings and clinical applications of traditional medicine in modern practice, including the integration of Eastern and Western medicine, mechanisms for improving aging processes, and the utilization of medicinal and aromatic plants, which received significant attention and positive responses.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, Vice Prime Minister Ludupova of the Republic of Buryatia held a meeting with the representatives from Shandong Province, China, to exchange views on cooperation and exchange in the field of traditional medicine. The meeting was attended by Li Gang, President of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Sun Zhengao, Deputy Director of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
After the conclusion of all programs on that day, including presentations from Sessions I and II as well as high-level meetings, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony was held, demonstrating the tangible outcomes of the subcommittee. Marking its third convening, this year’s subcommittee went beyond purely academic discussions and achieved record-breaking business exchange results, with a total of 16 agreements signed between Northeast Asian regional governments and health and medical-related institutions.
The MOUs signed on this occasion go beyond mere declarations of exchange and include concrete action plans aimed at scientifically integrating and institutionalizing traditional medicine within the official modern healthcare and education systems of each country. Starting from this agreement, the participating institutions agreed to pursue practical joint projects, including: ▲ joint research and development (R&D) based on traditional medicine, ▲ the establishment of stable supply chains for medicinal and aromatic plant resources, and ▲ the training of global professional healthcare personnel.
In addition, during the event period, participants visited the Buryatia National Museum and the Center for Oriental Medicine one after another, where they observed historical Tibetan medical atlas materials as well as advanced local traditional medicine clinical and diagnostic systems firsthand.
Meanwhile, the NEAR Traditional Medicine Subcommittee has been led by Shaanxi Province as the coordinating government, while this meeting was specially hosted by the Republic of Buryatia, which holds the chairmanship this year. Through this event, practical healthcare and traditional medicine cooperation measures among Northeast Asian regional governments were actively developed, and it is expected to serve as an opportunity to further expand exchanges and foster mutual growth among member governments in the future.