To deepen pragmatic cooperation in science and technology innovation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), a China-CEEC Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Innovation Exchange event was successfully held on November 24 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

In his address, Gao Xiang, director of the China Science and Technology Exchange Center (CSTEC), emphasized that this event should mark a new starting point for integrating traditional medicine with modern science. He expressed hope for enhanced joint research and the transformation of innovative results into applications that address contemporary societal needs and improve global health.

Chinese Embassy Counselor to Slovakia Wang Xiaojian highlighted the event’s role as a platform for showcasing the unique charm and cultural value of TCM, introducing the latest clinical and research advancements to the international medical community, and promoting collaborative innovation between China and CEEC in traditional medicine.

Dr. Eugenia Bilova, wife of former Slovak ambassador to China Dusan Bella, and Dr. Xu Jiajie, director of the Center for East-West Medicine at UCLA, congratulated the event’s success, calling for greater collaboration and noting that traditional medicine is a shared heritage of all nations. They also emphasized the need to integrate traditional and modern medicine within healthcare systems and prioritize innovation, standardization, and industrialization of traditional medicine, while respecting its cultural roots.

As the second event under the “China-CEEC InnoShare” initiative in 2024, this exchange also served as the opening for the International Training Program on TCM Clinical Practice and Research Progress. Throughout the event, renowned experts from China and CEEC delivered keynote speeches on topics such as modern instruments for TCM, outcome assessment in traditional acupuncture, and integrative pain management. They also shared cutting-edge advancements, research findings, and international collaboration experiences, while discussing priorities for future cooperation in TCM innovation.

The event enhanced the mutual exchange and appreciation between TCM and traditional medicine in CEEC, deepened international scientific cooperation in the field, and provided new momentum for the integration of research, education, and application in traditional medicine.

Organized by CSTEC, the event was co-hosted by the Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, the Slovak Medical University, and the Slovak Acupuncture Society. Over 50 representatives from government agencies, diplomatic missions, and research institutions from China, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland were in attendance.