How Chinese medicine can seize the opportunity of globalization to advance its internationalization

The traditional Chinese medicine variety protection system plays an increasingly important role in the internationalization of Chinese patent medicines by creating major brands and major enterprises. In the future, the Regulations on the Protection of Traditional Chinese Medicine Varieties should be further improved, and by encouraging innovation and accelerating the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine varieties, internationally competitive traditional Chinese medicine multinational corporations should be cultivated, so as to promote the internationalization of Chinese patent medicines.

Strengthen the promotion of traditional Chinese medicine

First, fully attach importance to the cultural differences between Chinese and Western medicine. It is a very important factor affecting the large-scale entry of traditional Chinese medicine into the world market, reflected in the different foundations on which Chinese and Western medical theories are built, the different attitudes toward philosophical knowledge, the different modes of thinking, and the different research methods.

Second, neither traditional Chinese medicine nor Western medicine should be neglected. Western medicine has micro-level precision but no macro-level bidirectional regulation; when used for group treatment, it uses a specific drug for a specific disease; while traditional Chinese medicine treats according to syndrome differentiation, varies from person to person, and treats according to the disease, uniquely featuring individualized medication. Traditional Chinese medicine research is a method of clinical practice, whereas the research method of Western medicine is the laboratory; although animal experiments are controllable and scientific, conclusions drawn from animal laboratories cannot be fully applied to clinical observation data.

Third, strengthen the promotion of traditional Chinese medicine and spread traditional Chinese medicine culture. Abroad, especially by using Confucius Institutes, vigorously carry out formal traditional Chinese medicine education, spread traditional Chinese culture, train traditional Chinese medicine talent, and raise the overall level of traditional Chinese medicine; on the other hand, attract foreign students to come to China to study traditional Chinese medicine, and establish demonstration traditional Chinese medicine hospitals abroad to vigorously promote the therapeutic efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine is a science tested by thousands of years of practice; having endured for thousands of years without decline, it has its unique advantages, a long history, systematic theory, rich practice, vast literature, and refined formulas. The theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine has two basic characteristics: first, the holistic concept, and second, treatment based on syndrome differentiation. The advantage of traditional Chinese medicine lies in emphasizing the unity of heaven and humanity, holistic syndrome differentiation, and mostly using compound formulas as medicine, where the effects of the drugs mutually synergize and restrain toxic and side effects, maximizing the positive effects of the drugs.

Seize the opportunity of globalization and promote the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine

First, economic globalization brings opportunities for the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine. Since the 1970s, economic globalization began to surge, raising wave after wave. Multinational corporations have become an important vehicle of economic globalization, carrying out industrial transfer on a global scale, including the pharmaceutical industry, which has provided an important opportunity for the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Second, the return to nature provides opportunities for the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, many developed economies have sought a green economy and, in returning to nature, have increasingly used plant-based medicines, bringing yet another important opportunity for the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine enterprises should strive to study the new situation of the international market and international policies and regulations concerning natural medicine management, and take advantage of the world trend of “returning to nature” to seize the opportunity and push traditional Chinese medicine into the international pharmaceutical market.

Third, the traditional Chinese medicine industry should seize the opportunity to carry out internationalization. It should aim at the prevailing trends of the international Chinese herbal medicine market, grasp the characteristics of natural medicines, develop new products that meet the needs of the international market, and promote the internationalization of China's traditional Chinese medicine. It should transform existing pharmaceutical industrial equipment, fully implement GMP management, take high technology and new products as the foundation, optimize the product structure, launch high-grade, refined, and cutting-edge flagship products, form large-scale production, and promote the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine products.

Strengthen intergovernmental exchanges, communication, and cooperation to accelerate the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine

First, use international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen international cooperation, win the understanding and support of WHO and the governments of various countries for traditional Chinese medicine, and promote the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Second, strengthen the management of traditional medicine; while the production of traditional Chinese medicine products must comply with national GMP standards, the government should strengthen negotiations between countries to safeguard the legitimate international status of traditional Chinese medicine.

Third, in bilateral agreements and regional agreements, the government should provide conditions for the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine as far as possible. For example, by using the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, the Chinese government can jointly establish medicinal animal and plant cultivation bases with countries rich in medicinal resources, such as Indonesia, making full use of local species resources; cooperation between countries also helps cultural dissemination, simplifies drug import procedures, and accelerates the legislative process.

Fourth, government departments should actively guide the direction of development of traditional Chinese medicine in the world. China can initiate the establishment of a World Traditional Medicine Industry Coordination Committee to play a leading role in the exchange, cooperation, and development of traditional medicine among countries around the world, and accelerate the formulation of experimental standard plans for traditional Chinese medicine products that are in line with international standards, using internationally accepted standards to set safety rules for traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Chinese medicine products; for this purpose, consideration may be given to making traditional Chinese medicine literature public and translating it into multiple texts.

Fifth, strengthen international scientific research cooperation to deepen the understanding and application of traditional Chinese medicine. Various channels and opportunities should be used to let traditional Chinese medicine drive traditional Chinese medicine, and strengthen international academic exchanges and scientific research cooperation. For example, jointly run schools with well-known foreign universities to carry out training of traditional Chinese medicine talent; cooperate with foreign research institutions to use modern scientific knowledge and methods to clarify the principles of action of traditional Chinese medicine and develop traditional Chinese medicine products; jointly run hospitals with government agencies or local organizations to establish various forms of clinical bases, so as to fully demonstrate the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine, promote the progress of traditional Chinese medicine and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine disciplines in Western countries, and expand the international influence of traditional Chinese medicine.

It can be foreseen that traditional Chinese medicine will also enter the international market in various ways.