Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown good momentum of going global, a senior official said on March 3.

Wang Guoqiang, head of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said countries along the Belt and Road have shown a growing interest in TCM, and TCM has demonstrated a strong momentum as an export.

“Many TCM products have been well received by foreign consumers, and more should go global,” he said.

Wang made the remarks in response to a Chinese traditional cough syrup’s popularity among New Yorkers this flu season.

TCM is now practiced in 183 countries and regions across the globe, with 86 of them signing agreements with China to promote TCM, according to Wang. A total of 17 TCM centers have been set up worldwide and a series of standards in the sector have been unveiled, which are signs of TCM’s growing global appeal, he said.

Despite TCM’s popularity, Wang noted there’s a long way ahead for TCM to become globally recognized.

“TCM theories differ greatly from that of western medicine, and it takes time for the world to accept TCM and the traditional Chinese culture imbedded in it,” he said, adding that TCM’s strengths – such as less invasive and cheaper treatments – could help it go global.

Wang also emphasized the importance of promoting TCM on the grassroots level in China, a move that will facilitate TCM’s going global in turn.

“We would continue to train more TCM practitioners on the grassroots level and let the public have more access to adequate and quality TCM services,” he said.