On October 21, the International Communication Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture and the unveiling of the Huiqiao Health Service Center took place in Guilin, Guangxi. This event attracted experts from Germany’s University of Oldenburg, representatives from Switzerland’s Huaxia Traditional Chinese Medicine School, students from the Swiss institution engaged in cultural exchanges in China, and international students from Guilin Medical University. The gathering aimed to enhance the international exchange of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) culture.
According to reports, Guilin is home to approximately 150,000 returned overseas Chinese and their relatives, with around 200,000 Chinese nationals living abroad in over 70 countries and regions. In an effort to provide high-quality TCM health services to this community, with the support of the United Front Work Department of the Guilin Municipal Committee, the Guilin Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, the Guilin Health Commission, and the Guilin Overseas Chinese Federation, the Guilin TCM Hospital established the Huiqiao Health Service Center.
This new center aims to create a comprehensive health service platform that integrates health management, medical care, and rehabilitation, ensuring the well-being of overseas Chinese and their families. Additionally, by showcasing the unique advantages of TCM in healthcare, wellness, and rehabilitation, the center aspires to become a new platform for disseminating Guilin’s TCM culture to the world, enabling broader recognition and understanding of TCM.
Yilin Yi, president of the Guilin Returned Overseas Chinese Federation, emphasized that the establishment of the service center is a key initiative to promote the Huiqiao brand and serves as an important livelihood project for the overseas Chinese community. By offering meticulous and high-quality health services to returned overseas Chinese and their families—both in Guilin and abroad—the center aims to convey the warmth and evolving changes of their hometown. Moreover, it seeks to use this occasion to foster widespread dialogue and cooperation with international partners, working collaboratively to build a broader platform for the promotion and appreciation of TCM culture. This initiative aims to spread constructive outcomes of exchanges and contribute to mutual understanding and a shared global health community.
Professor Henning Ritter from the University of Oldenburg highlighted the deepening collaboration between his institution and the Guilin TCM Hospital in recent years. Their partnership has led to the establishment of Asia’s first breast center certified by the European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOMA). Professor Ritter noted their growing understanding of TCM practices and reported that they have started implementing acupuncture anesthesia techniques in their treatments. He expressed hopes for further collaboration with Guilin TCM Hospital and other medical institutions to enhance patient care.
In recent years, Guilin has actively engaged in the Belt and Road Initiative, conducting TCM exchanges with over 20 countries and regions. The Guilin TCM Hospital has formed a friendly hospital relationship with the University of Oldenburg, promoting TCM culture in Germany. The Huaxia Traditional Chinese Medicine School has set up an internship base at the Guilin TCM Hospital, sending foreign medical students annually to learn TCM techniques and culture. Additionally, Guilin Medical University and the Guilin TCM Hospital have collaborated to establish a “Understanding China” practical education base, offering diverse TCM learning, experiencing, and clinical practice opportunities for international students, thus fostering their love and understanding of TCM as it continues to reach a global audience.
