World Traditional Medicine Conference to be Held in Beijing on 17-18 October
The 2026 World Traditional Medicine Conference will take place in Beijing on 17-18 October, co-hosted by the World Health Organization and Chinese authorities. The event will feature 92 overseas and 62 domestic experts, alongside an exhibition and release of key reports on traditional medicine and a
The 2026 World Traditional Medicine Conference will be held on 17-18 October at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, according to an announcement on Friday. The event is hosted by the Beijing Municipal Government, the National Health Commission, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the National Medical Products Administration, in partnership with the World Health Organization.
Under the theme "Technology Empowerment and Integrated Development: Advancing Traditional Medicine for All," the conference has invited approximately 92 overseas and 62 domestic experts and scholars to deliver academic presentations. A parallel Beijing International Traditional Medicine Exhibition will run from 16-18 October, showcasing the latest achievements in traditional medicine inheritance, innovation, and digital-intelligent development.
The conference programme includes opening and closing ceremonies, plenary keynote speeches, government forums, and academic sessions covering education and training, international standards, herbal quality, pharmaceutical regulation, artificial intelligence, and acupuncture. Key outcome documents to be released include the "Beijing Initiative on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Traditional Medicinal Plant Resources" and the "Global Report on Artificial Intelligence Empowering Traditional Medicine Development."
Huang Luqi, Deputy Director of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and head of the conference preparatory working group, expressed confidence that the announcements and their follow-up implementation will further promote higher-quality and more sustainable development of traditional medicine globally, benefiting the health and well-being of people in all countries.
Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Huang said the administration will proactively serve the national diplomatic agenda, promote high-quality traditional Chinese medicine services in the Belt and Road Initiative, and deepen cooperation with the WHO and other international organisations and relevant countries. He also emphasised greater attention to the quality and sustainable development of overseas traditional Chinese medicine centres, as well as policy coordination and regulatory alignment in areas such as traditional Chinese medicine product registration, practitioner licensing, education and training, and standards application.