Chinese premier calls for traditional medicine progress in tackling challenges of times

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday called for joint efforts in promoting progress of traditional medicine in tackling challenges of the times.

Li made the statement when addressing the World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing.

Traditional medicine is a unique force for safeguarding human health and furthering progress of civilizations, and after a long period of development, traditional medicine has been continuously enriched to become an important method for maintaining health, an important carrier for passing on diverse civilizations, and an important bond for enhancing friendship among countries, according to Li.

Li said China's experience in developing its own traditional medicine with unique characteristics provide useful references for the advances of traditional medicine worldwide.

Urging joint efforts in promoting progress of traditional medicine in tackling challenges of the times, Li noted that the international community should boost collaboration, strengthen sci-tech empowerment, deepen exchanges and cooperation, promote the sharing of outcomes by all, and make good use of the world's traditional medicine resources to jointly address the challenges to human health.

Comparing the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping to a good prescription for dealing with various types of chaos in the world today, Li called on the international community to work together to protect global prosperity.

An official from the World Health Organization also delivered a speech at the event.

About 1,200 people attended the opening ceremony, including government officials, experts and scholars, and practitioners of traditional medicine from various countries.

Chinese premier calls for traditional medicine progress in tackling challenges of times

China's top political advisor Wang Huning has stressed the need to pool strength for development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) and to advance Chinese modernization.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks during an inspection tour in Chengdu, Deyang and the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province from Oct. 13 to 16.

He urged solid efforts to forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, while making systematic efforts to ensure that religions in China are Chinese in orientation and establishing a more solid legal footing for the governance of religious affairs.

Wang stressed advancing the implementation of the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, upholding the rule of law in both thinking and practice to handle ethnic affairs, and safeguarding ethnic unity in accordance with the law.

Wang called for upholding the CPC's overall leadership over the CPPCC and giving play to the CPPCC's role as a specialized consultative body. He also stressed solid efforts to conduct political consultation, democratic oversight, and participation in and deliberation of state affairs.

China's top political advisor calls for pooling strength for Chinese modernization