During the “2019 Traditional Medicine International Cooperation Forum (Macao, China)”, the “Business Matching Forum – Seminar on Economic and Trade Cooperation of Portuguese-speaking Countries in Traditional Medicine” was held on 26 September, at The Venetian Macao. Over 400 government representatives, traditional medicine experts, business representatives, and domestic and foreign distributors from Macao, Mainland China, the European Union, Africa, South America and the ASEAN countries attended the Forum. The representatives shared insights on the current development, market features, international trade and registration cases of traditional medicine and phytomedicine in Europe, Africa, South America and the ASEAN countries, as well as their interpretations of relevant laws and regulations.
Business Matching Forum of the “2019 Traditional Medicine International Cooperation Forum (Macao, China)”
Greater Achievements Secured in Traditional Medicine Cooperation
For the first time, the Business Matching Forum was held concurrently with the “Seminar on Economic and Trade Cooperation in Traditional Medicine of Portuguese-speaking Countries” in collaboration with the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) to share experiences in market promotion of TCM products in countries and regions along the Belt and Road and the Portuguese-speaking Countries.
The Advisor to the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of MSAR Government and President and CEO of the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd., Ms. Lu Hong, noted that the Business Matching Forum, as an important component of the Traditional Medicine International Cooperation Forum (Macao, China), provides great opportunities of exchange, sharing and cooperation for industry insiders, experts, scholars and business representatives. Over the past years, with the generous support of its partners, GMTCM Park has secured outstanding achievements in promoting traditional Chinese medicine in the European, African, the ASEAN and the Middle East countries and regions, taking the Portuguese-speaking Countries as starting point. Cooperative ties with local governments and industry organisations have been strengthened and a solid foundation laid for deeper cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine, she added.
According to the Secretary-General of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), Ms. Xu Yingzhen, the traditional Chinese medicine industry has been established by Macao as its key priority of development and Macao has positioned itself as a Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, which has created favourable conditions for the market promotion of traditional medicine and industrial cooperation. Ms. Xu thanked GMTCM Park for its contribution to the event, adding that she expected this to serve as an occasion to demonstrate the achievements made in traditional medicine cooperation and to share the experience of market promotion in traditional medicine products in the Belt and Road countries and the Portuguese-speaking Countries. She also expected cooperation in traditional medicine to become an important carrier to promote exchanges and mutual learning between different countries.
At the Business Matching Forum, participants witnessed a signing ceremony held for an international cooperation project on traditional medicine between Diapharm GmbH & Co. KG and Guangdong-Macao Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., an affiliate of GMTCM Park. Agreements were also signed between Zhuhai Lin Shangxi Health Tea Co., Ltd., a company that already settled in GMTCM Park, the Portuguese company NATURLOJA and GMTCM Park, with the aim of leading its products into the EU market. Such a success marked an important step forward in GMTCM Park’s efforts to promote TCM internationalisation and the entry of quality TCM products into EU markets.
Experience of International Marketing Discussed
During the session on “cooperation opportunities between international traditional medicine markets”, guests from Portugal, Germany and Brazil shared their opinions on the three topics of “traditional medicine and future health”, “analysis of the EU markets for dietary supplements and traditional phytomedicine” and “the development potential of the Brazilian TCM market”. During the session on successful cases of international markets for high quality TCM products, business representatives from Macao and Mainland China shared their experience as to how they have taken their TCM products into the international markets.
Meanwhile, participating businesses raised questions about the registration, trading and standards of traditional medicine products, and guests answered their questions and offered important advice in light of the actual conditions of different countries. The on-site atmosphere of interaction was very active.
TCM Companies’ Business Connections with Their Global Counterparts Promoted
In addition, nearly 200 types of quality products from 28 TCM companies from Mainland China and Macao were displayed at the Exhibition Zone during the Business Matching Forum. Distributors and traders exchanged with on-site businesses and shared their experience in international training, registration services and trade agency. The purpose of the exhibition is to help businesses better understand the trade conditions of their targeted markets and prepare for future promotion and registration of their products.
Exchanges of views of international distributors and traders with businesses on-site
Until now, GMTCM Park has played an active role as a platform to promote the industrialisation and internationalisation of TCM. With the help of GMTCM Park, a total of six products of companies from Macao and Mainland China have been approved for registration in Mozambique, two of which have already been marketed and established a good reputation. Going ahead, GMTCM Park will remain committed to its role as an international platform and serve as a bridge for economic and trade cooperation between companies from Macao, Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.
