Hong Kong health chief outlines TCM integration strategy at World Traditional Medicine Congress
Hong Kong’s health chief Professor Lo Chung-mau attended the 2026 World Traditional Medicine Congress in Beijing, sharing the city’s strategy to integrate traditional Chinese medicine into its healthcare system. He highlighted flagship institutions and alignment with national plans.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, attended the 2026 World Traditional Medicine Congress in Beijing on 17 October, outlining the city’s strategy to integrate traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) into its healthcare system. The congress is hosted by the Beijing municipal government, the National Health Commission, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Medical Products Administration, and co-organised by the World Health Organization.
Speaking at a government forum, Lo said: “TCM is a treasure of Chinese civilisation. The national 15th Five-Year Plan emphasises promoting the inheritance and innovation of TCM, and clearly states the need to improve the TCM service system, enhance grassroots TCM service capabilities, and develop collaborative services between Chinese and Western medicine.” He noted that Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the 2026 Policy Address set out a vision for comprehensive, high-quality development of TCM to align with the national “Healthy China” strategy.
Lo said the government would boost TCM development through two flagship institutions: the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Hospital and the government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute. These would promote a “Hong Kong model” of pure TCM and integrated Chinese-Western medicine, foster talent training, international research on herb-drug interactions, and set strict quality standards for Chinese medicinal materials.
During the congress, Lo met separately with National Health Commission Deputy Director Zheng Zhe and National Medical Products Administration Director Huang Guo. He told Zheng that Hong Kong’s health indicators rank among the world’s best, and that the city’s first five-year plan mirrors the national 15th Five-Year Plan’s goal of accelerating the building of a “Healthy China”. Lo emphasised: “The HKSAR government will proactively deepen healthcare reform, build an international medical innovation hub, and serve as a ‘super connector’ to integrate into the ‘Healthy China’ agenda.”
In his meeting with Huang, Lo detailed progress on establishing the Hong Kong Centre for Drug and Medical Devices Regulation, which will be set up this year. Li Zili has been appointed as the director. The centre aims to implement a “first-tier approval” mechanism for new drugs by 2030 or earlier, and to become an internationally recognised regulatory authority.
The Hong Kong delegation includes Director of Health Dr Ronald Lam, incoming director Li Zili, and officials from the health bureau, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority. Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, chief executive of the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Hospital, also attended. On 18 October, Lo will join a ministerial roundtable on TCM development under the Belt and Road Initiative, while health department representatives will share updates on Chinese medicine regulation. The delegation is expected to return to Hong Kong on the afternoon of 18 October.
