The Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry Expo kicked off in Longxi County, northwest China's Gansu province, on Oct 11. 

Cui Li, vice-minister of the National Health Commission (NHC) delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.   

The traditional Chinese medicine is a gem of ancient Chinese science and plays an important role in economic and social development as well as the development of healthy China, according to Cui. The NHC attaches great importance to the TCM, she said, added that NHC pays equal attention to TCM as the Western medicine with increasing supports to the service system construction of TCM.

She said she hopes Gansu will expand the cooperation on TCM with the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and accelerate the revitalization of TCM.

More than 3,000 attendees from relevant foreign governments and institutions, international organizations, relevant state ministries, provinces, municipalities, enterprises, research institutes, and associations attended the Expo.

The expo was jointly sponsored by the National Health Commission, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Gansu provincial government.