Grand Opening of the 23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine in Singapore

 

On October 17, 2026, the 23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine (WCCM), hosted by the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) and organized by the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association (SCPA), officially opened in Singapore. Under the theme “Addressing Global Health Challenges and Promoting Deeper Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine into National Healthcare Systems,” the Congress brought together more than 1,400 TCM experts and scholars, government officials, and industry representatives from 25 countries and regions, including China, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Opening Ceremony and Keynote Reports were broadcast live worldwide, attracting over 9.3 million cumulative views.

The 23rd WCCM stands as a landmark international event for TCM’s integration into global health systems. It ranks among the high-level, wide-reaching multilateral platforms for academic and industrial dialogue in TCM, exploring actionable implementation pathways directly for national health‑governance stakeholders.

 

The Congress bears dual significance for TCM inheritance and global outreach. It not only serves as a centralized showcase for upholding traditions, but also opens an international dialogue channel for evidence-based integration. It provides exchange references for localized TCM access and service delivery for various nations, enabling broader populations to access standardized traditional‑medicine health solutions.

 

Mr. Ma Jianzhong, President of WFCMS, Mr. Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies of Singapore, Mr. Cao Zhongming, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Singapore, Dr. Goh Kia Seng, President of SCPA, Academician Zhang Yun of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, National TCM Masters Wang Qingguo and Zhou Daihan, Mr. Ramon Calduch, Chairman of the WFCMS Board of Supervisors and President of the European Foundation for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Mr. Chai Shaidi, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Singapore, Dr. Mak Kenneth, Director‑General of Health of the Singapore Ministry of Health, Dr. Teo Eng Kiat, Deputy President of SCPA, Ms. Wang Lei, President of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Group, Chairman of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Da Ren Tang Group, China, among other dignitaries attended. The opening ceremony was co-hosted by Mr. Pan Ping, Deputy Secretary‑General of WFCMS, and Mr. Kuo Tung Ho, Vice‑President of SCPA.

 

President Ma Jianzhong of WFCMS gave the opening address. He noted that TCM has spread to 196 countries and regions worldwide, and more than one‑third of the global population has received TCM interventions such as acupuncture and tuina. According to World Health Organization statistics, 113 WHO member states recognize TCM therapies, including acupuncture; 29 member states have formulated laws and regulations governing standardized TCM practice; and 20 member states have incorporated TCM into their national medical‑security systems. WFCMS boasts 307 organizational members across 78 countries and regions, maintains official partnerships with WHO, UNESCO, and ISO, and was granted Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2021. Mr. Ma pointed out that Singapore serves as a model for TCM development in Southeast Asia. Back in 2000, the Parliament of Singapore enacted the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Board was established in 2001, making Singapore one of the first countries in the region to implement statutory registration for TCM practitioners. Its statutory‑registration regime for TCM practitioners, local talent‑training system, and establishment of the National Model TCM Practitioner Award carry exemplary value. This year marks the 80th anniversary of SCPA, which has grown into a comprehensive TCM association with over 1,600 members. The current Congress features 36 parallel sessions, four keynote presentations, and 330 academic reports to showcase cutting-edge global TCM research outcomes and clinical experience.
 

Mr. Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies of Singapore, extended a warm welcome to participants, commended WFCMS for advancing global TCM development, and acknowledged the long-standing contributions of the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association to local TCM progress. He remarked that TCM is accelerating its integration into national healthcare systems, with growing attention to integrated Chinese-Western medicine, and noted that the starting point of integrative medicine lies in respecting the historical and philosophical differences between the two medical traditions—the question is not which system is superior, but how they can complement each other safely and effectively for patient benefit. Cases such as artemisinin and Zhiyin (BL67) point moxibustion for breech presentation demonstrate that TCM constitutes a treasure trove awaiting further exploration; integration must be grounded in rigorous safety and effectiveness evidence, yet should not be constrained by paradigms that dismiss cumulative TCM clinical experience. He outlined Singapore’s four-pronged national efforts, including education, with Nanyang Technological University having launched local undergraduate and postgraduate TCM programmes and co-built an Artificial Intelligence Laboratory with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine; accreditation, with five institutions having obtained the inaugural Accredited TCM Clinic designation under a voluntary scheme and plans underway to expand TCM practitioners’ authority to order X-ray examinations; evidence-based integration, with acupuncture for neck and low-back pain now subsidized and seven acupuncture pilot projects selected from 18 submissions under the TCM Integration Sandbox; and preventive healthcare, with “Treating Disease Before Its Onset” initiatives advanced under the HealthSG strategy and 30 collaborative care proposals received. He expressed hope that the Congress would facilitate idea-sharing and cross-national learning of best practices. and advance integrative medicine through open-minded collaboration and a shared commitment to optimized patient care.
 

Mr. Cao Zhongming, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Singapore, congratulated the Congress on its convening, welcomed all delegates, and paid tribute to WFCMS, SCPA, and the event‑preparation team. He observed that the Congress theme responds to pressing global‑health challenges, including rising chronic‑disease burdens, emerging‑infectious‑disease risks, and population ageing. As a gem of Chinese civilization, TCM contributes Eastern wisdom to global health governance through its strengths in holistic thinking, treatment based on syndrome differentiation, and preventive medicine (treating disease‑before‑its‑onset). President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China attaches great importance to TCM inheritance, innovation, and global outreach, charting its international‑development direction. TCM played an integral role throughout prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation during pandemic responses, yielding notable outcomes in integrated Chinese-Western care. Singapore occupies a pivotal position for TCM dissemination within Southeast Asia. Ambassador Cao called for TCM not merely to “go global,” but to “take root locally” within national health systems, with strengthened standards‑setting, evidence-based research, and talent cultivation. The Chinese Embassy will continue supporting China-Singapore traditional‑medicine cooperation. He anticipated that the Congress would build consensus and mobilize TCM contributions toward building a global community of health for all.

 

Dr. Goh Kia Seng, Vice‑President of WFCMS and President of SCPA, on behalf of the organizing party, warmly greeted attendees and extended sincere gratitude to supporting bodies, including the Singapore Ministry of Health and Singapore Tourism Board. He noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the SCPA. Since its founding, the Association has established the Chung Hwa Medical Institution and the Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and has advanced local TCM legislation, registration frameworks, and regional academic exchange. Chung Hwa Medical Institution has delivered more than 15 million patient consultations over 73 years, averaging over 200,000 visits annually. Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine has graduated over 6,000 learners across its programmes, cultivating most of Singapore’s local TCM practitioners, and has progressively launched innovative collaborative projects with hospitals and research institutes. Dr. Goh expressed the wish that insights exchanged during the Congress translate into clinical improvements in daily practice, and cross-border collegial bonds evolve into shared strength for safeguarding human health.
 

 

Ms. Wang Lei, President of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Group and Chairperson of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Da Ren Tang Group, China, delivered an address. She stated that TCM, with its strengths in preventive care and syndrome‑differentiated therapy, offers “Chinese solutions” for tackling global challenges such as chronic diseases and antimicrobial resistance, evolving from “going global” toward “integrating into the world”. This year marks the 29th anniversary of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Da Ren Tang Group’s product listing in Singapore. The Group has built a complete big‑health industrial chain spanning herbal‑material cultivation, pharmaceutical R&D, production, and sales. It holds 599 drug registration approvals and 122 exclusive‑manufacturing varieties covering 13 therapeutic and health sectors, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems. Its “Three‑Core‑Nine‑Wing” product portfolio, exemplified by Suxiao Jiuxin Pills and Jingwanhong Ointment, delivers whole‑life‑cycle health protection for hundreds of millions of patients. Ms. Wang emphasized that TCM globalization cannot be accomplished by single entities; it requires solidarity and collaboration among worldwide peers to advance mutual‑recognition of standards, talent mobility, and industrial interconnectivity.
 

The opening ceremony was co-hosted by Mr. Pan Ping, Deputy Secretary‑General of WFCMS, and Mr. Kuo Tung Ho, Vice‑President of SCPA
 

At the opening ceremony, the Inauguration of Academicians of the Academy of Chinese Medicine, Singapore was held. Dr. Goh Kia Seng and Mr. Ong Ye Kung conferred academician certificates and plaques upon Dr. Mak Kenneth, Director‑General of Health (Singapore Ministry of Health); Professor Miao Chunyan, Fellow of the Singapore Academy of Engineering and Associate Vice‑President of Nanyang Technological University; Professor Li Saimei, Medical Consultant of Chung Hwa Medical Institution; and Honorary Council Member Foo Zeng‑Yee of SCPA.

 

The conferment represents high recognition by the Academy of Chinese Medicine, Singapore, for these distinguished scholars and reinforces human‑resource capacity for further clinical and scientific advancement of TCM in Singapore.
 

 

The unveiling ceremony of the China Time-Honored Brand TCM Overseas Cultural Center (Singapore) was also held, officiated by Mr. Ma Jianzhong, President of WFCMS. The Center is operated by Singapore Ke Yi Pte. Ltd., a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Zhongjing Wanxi Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited. Founded in 1978, Zhongjing Wanxi Pharmaceutical ranks among China’s Top 50 TCM enterprises; its “Zhongjing” brand was recognized as a China Time-Honored Brand by the Ministry of Commerce of China in 2024. Mr. Sun Feng, Chairperson of Zhongjing Wanxi Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited, received the plaque on behalf of the operating entity, marking a milestone for the global expansion of China’s time-honored TCM brands.

 

Prof. Mak Kenneth, Director-General of Health, Ministry of Health, Singapore, delivered a keynote speech entitled Modernising Tradition: The Future of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Singapore; Academician Zhang Yun of the Chinese Academy of Engineering presented an interpretation of the “Expert Consensus on the Intervention of the Cardiovascular Continuum by Luobing Theory-Based Chinese Medicine Formula”; Prof. Teo Eng Kiat, Deputy President of the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association, discussed clinical approaches and therapeutic strategies for cancer prevention and treatment in Chinese medicine; and Prof. Ma Zhiguo of Xi’an Jiaotong University delivered a speech on the protection of TCM knowledge.

 

The keynote sessions were moderated jointly by Mr. Ramon Calduch , Chairman of WFCMS Board of Supervisors and President of European Foundation for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Mr. Chu I Ta, Vice‑President of SCPA, Professor Shi Yafei, Vice‑President of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, and Mr. Koh Boon Khai , Vice‑President of SCPA.

 

Other distinguished guests present at the opening ceremony included Vice-Presidents of the WFCMS Council Mr. Sun Qingfu (South Africa), Dr. Huang Xiansheng (USA), Dr. Lin Rongsheng (USA), Mr. Xu Zhifeng (New Zealand), Mr. Fung Kau (Hong Kong, China), Dr. Liu Chijing (Australia), Dr. Zheng Qiming (Philippines), and Dr. Tian Haihe (USA); Vice-Chairs of the WFCMS Board of Supervisors Professor Lin Tzi Chiang (Australia), Dr. Cui Pengde (New Zealand), and Mr. Wang Haidong (Australia); Dr. Lim Shih Hui, Director of Traditional and Complementary Medicine at the Singapore Ministry of Health; Mr. Zhang How Bin, Chairman of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Board, Singapore; Ms. Chang Yen Li, Director-General of the Regulatory Transformation Division at the Singapore Ministry of Health; Mr. Yeo Ean Koon, Chairman of Thong Chai Medical Institution (Singapore); Professor Lyu Xiaodong, Former Party Secretary of Liaoning University of Chinese Medicine; Professor Chen Diping, Former Party Secretary of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine; Professor Li Candong, Former President of Fujian University of Chinese Medicine; Professor Guo Jiao, Former President of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University; Mr. Guo Min, Executive Director and Vice-Chairperson of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Group; Professor Wang Shouchuan, Distinguished TCM Expert at Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine; and Professor Lin Jaung Geng, Chair Professor at China Medical University (Taiwan, Province of China). Assistant Secretaries-General of WFCMS Jiao Yundong, Wang Jing, Wang Lili, and Gu Xiaojing were also present, along with representatives from WFCMS organizational members, branch committees, and the global TCM community.

 

 

From October 17 to 18, the 23rd WCCM featured 36 parallel sessions and related activities, including the 2026 Singapore International Chinese Medicine Summit & Forum on the Evolution and Contributions of Chinese Medicine, the Forum on Innovation and Clinical Development in Modern TCM Services (I), the 2026 China Time-honored Brand TCM Development Conference, the Shandong China International Consumption Supply-Demand Matching and Market Promotion Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Special Session on Overseas Promotion of Chinese Time-Honored Brands (Tianjin Pharmaceutical Da Ren Tang Group Session), the Forum on the Overseas Dissemination, Preservation and Innovation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture, the Academic Exchange Conference on Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine Deng Tietao’s Theory of Regulating Spleen and Stomach for “Treating Undiseased Conditions” & the 1st Interdisciplinary Forum on the Essence of Spleen Function and Glucose-Lipid Metabolism, the Forum on the Inheritance and High-Quality Development of Lingnan Medicine, the 2026 Annual Academic Conference of the Professional Committee of Luobing of WFCMS & the 22nd International Congress on Collateral Disease–Overseas Forum, the 2026 Frontier Forum on International Cooperation in Clinical Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Science and Technology Ethics, the 14th Annual Academic Conference of the Special Committee on Post-marketing Research and Evaluation of Chinese Medicine, World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, the Comprehensive Academic Reports–Seminar on Globalization Strategies of Chinese Patent Medicines and Appropriate TCM Technologies, Nephrology Committee, World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, Real-World Research in the AI Era, the 2026 Annual Conference of the Specialty Committee of Oncology of WFCMS, the 2026 Academic Annual Conference of the Special Committee for TCM International Brand Research, WFCMS & Academic Conference on the International Brand Development of TCM Tuina Session 1 the Academic Conference on the International Brand Development of TCM Tuina Session 2 / Workshop on TCM Tuina, the 2026 Singapore International Chinese Medicine Summit & 16th International Jingfang Masterclass (Singapore)–Special Session on Clinical Applications of Jingfang and Oncology, the 2026 Singapore International Chinese Medicine Summit Forum–Special Session on Acupuncture, External Therapies, and Clinical Techniques in Ophthalmology, the 2026 Singapore International Chinese Medicine Summit Forum–Special Session on the Dissemination and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the 2026 Singapore International Chinese Medicine Summit Forum–Special Session on Clinical Practice and Evidence-Based Medicine Development, the Forum on Innovation and Clinical Development in Modern TCM Services (II), the 2026 Singapore International Traditional Chinese Medicine Summit Forum & the 12th Annual Academic Conference of the WFCMS Specialty Committee of Cancer Palliative Treatment & Singapore–China Academic Exchange Forum, the 13th Academic Annual Meeting of the Special Committee on Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Management of the WFCMS & the 6th “Maritime Silk Road” Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Forum, Chinese Medicine × AI: Future Health & Global Innovation Forum, the Special Academic Session on Science-Based Exercise Driving Proactive Health Development, the Forum on Psychosomatic Medicine: Nourishing Body and Spirit in Insomnia and Depression, the Professor Huang Huang Exchange Meeting (Closed-door Session), the Signing Ceremony Session, the Working Meeting of the 24th WCCM in Manchester 2027, and the Plenary Session Venue (I–IV).

 

The Congress has received support from government agencies and international organizations, including the World Health Organization, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China, the Singapore Ministry of Health, and the Singapore Tourism Board. Tianjin Pharmaceutical Da Ren Tang Group Corporation Limited and ZhongJing Wanxi Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited co-operated with committees of WFCMS, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Science and Technology Innovation Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shandong Provincial Association of Time-honored Enterprises, Guangdong Provincial Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Massage Hospital, and Singapore institutions, including Traditional Chinese Medicine Board, Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution, Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Academy of Chinese Medicine, Singapore Traditional Chinese Medicine Promotion Association, Singapore Chinese Medical Association, Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution, Singapore Federation of Chinese Medicine and Chinese Materia Medica, NTU-TCM Singapore, Alumni Association of Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Singapore Acupuncture-Moxibustion Society, Singapore New Physicians’ Association co-organized this congress.