The 23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine opened in Singapore on Saturday, drawing more than 1,400 representatives from 25 countries and regions to share the latest research findings and clinical experience in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
The two-day event, which runs through Sunday, features 36 parallel sessions, four keynote addresses and 330 academic presentations under the theme "Addressing Global Health Challenges and Promoting the Deep Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine into National Medical and Health Systems."
On the sidelines of the congress, a China Time-Honored Brand Traditional Chinese Medicine Overseas Cultural Center was unveiled in Singapore, the third of its kind after those in Paris and Sydney. Addressing the opening ceremony, Ma Jianzhong, president of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS), and Singapore's Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung noted that TCM has now spread to 196 countries and regions, and acknowledged the progress made in integrating Chinese and Western medicine worldwide.
Two senior officials of the federation said the task ahead is to deepen TCM's global footprint and extend its therapeutic value to people all over the world, a mission they spelled out in no uncertain terms.
"The most important is to introduce the Chinese medicine into the national health system," said Ramon Maria Calduch, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the WFCMS.
"The ultimate goal of the internationalization of TCM is to benefit people's health worldwide, integrate TCM into the global healthcare system, and make meaningful contributions to the health and well-being of humanity," said Pan Ping, assistant secretary-general of the WFCMS.
Hosted by the WFCMS, the World Congress of Chinese Medicine is a leading global academic event in the TCM field, with 22 previous editions held around the world since its launch in 2004.
23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine opens in Singapore
23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine opens in Singapore
23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine opens in Singapore
A grassroots official from Gari Village in Ya'an City of southwest China's Sichuan Province has led locals to conquer immense difficulties to build a road at an altitude of 4,000 meters, turning the once-isolated community into a thriving tourist destination, paving the way towards a prosperous life.
This is a story from a China Global Television Network (CGTN) documentary titled "4,000m Altitude: They Built a Road Straight to the Sky".
Due to its extreme altitude, Gari Village lacked a proper road more than a decade ago, forcing residents to hike in and out on foot.
Refusing to let his village remain cut off from the world, Asheng, the local Party chief, made it his mission to change their fate. Mobilizing the villagers, he led them in overcoming immense geographical and logistical hurdles to finally carve a road through the high-altitude terrain.
The road opened the gates to Dawagengzha, a stunning natural attraction whose name translates to "magic mountain" in the Tibetan language. As word of this natural wonder spread, tourists began to arrive. However, a new challenge quickly emerged: the village lacked hotels and other tourism infrastructure, meaning visitors couldn't stay overnight.
Recognizing the bottleneck, Asheng took the initiative once again, converting his own house into the village's first homestay.
Seeing the success of Asheng's venture, hesitant villagers quickly followed suit.
Today, Gari Village is home to 158 distinctive homestays, forming a thriving hospitality cluster known as "Cloud Dawagengzha". Campsites, inns, and wooden cabins now dot the mountain landscape.
In 2024, the village welcomed over one million tourist arrivals, generating a revenue of 120 million yuan (about 17.94 million U.S. dollars). The momentum has only continued to grow. During the autumn foliage season in 2025, the village recorded an average weekly tourism revenue exceeding 1.5 million yuan.
Looking ahead, Asheng said he will continue to explore ways to improve the lives of his fellow villagers.
The documentary is part of CGTN's "Breaking Through" series, which traces China's journey from the historic Long March to its modern-day achievements, highlighting the resilience, ingenuity, and determination of its people.
Building road at 4,000m, grassroots official leads locals to prosperity: documentary
