The State Council released a circular on March 29 aimed at enhancement of traditional Chinese medicine during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.

According to the circular, efforts should be made to establish a premium and efficient TCM service system with a slew of national TCM medical centers and better TCM hospitals at all levels.

TCM health services will be promoted, the circular said, highlighting growing health management for children from birth to three years old and the elderly above 65 years old. TCM medical technology centers will be encouraged in the discovery and application of safe and efficient TCM medical technologies.

The circular also stresses TCM’s role in epidemic prevention and control and emergency management on public health events.

Medicine created by ethnic minorities and integration between TCM and Western medicine call for further development, the circular said.

To that end, a nine-year pilot education program combining TCM and Western medicine will be launched and TCM will be included in compulsory courses during probation periods for undergraduate students.

To build a high-level system for TCM inheritance and protection, the circular said, TCM technological innovation will gain more support in major projects and key innovation plans.

The circular also noted high-quality development of the TCM industry through intensified utilization and protection of TCM resources and better production management of genuine medicinal materials.

While accelerating opening-up of the sector, TCM will be actively involved in global health governance and international cooperation on epidemic prevention and control, with deepening exchanges and cooperation and expanded international trade.