Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor places a symbolic item of Chinese medicine in a treasure chest of blessings at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Chinese Medicines Hospital, Hong Kong, June 2, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
HONG KONG – A groundbreaking ceremony of Hong Kong's Chinese Medicine Hospital and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute was held on Thursday, marking a new milestone for the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.
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The two flagship projects are expected to be completed by 2025, with services to be commenced in phases, according to an official press release.
Today's groundbreaking ceremony heralds the start of a significant page for Hong Kong's Chinese medicine development, with the two flagship projects serving as a strong impetus.
Carrie Lam, HKSAR chief executive
Addressing the ceremony, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the country for its staunch support and the help being extended by different mainland ministries in the planning stage of the two projects and in applying the Chinese medicine during Hong Kong's anti-epidemic fight.
"Today's groundbreaking ceremony heralds the start of a significant page for Hong Kong's Chinese medicine development, with the two flagship projects serving as a strong impetus," Lam said.
Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the government would continue to promote Chinese medicine development in the ctiy.
“The government will continue to advance CM development through measures such as talent training, research, facilities enhancement and promotions under the support of the Chinese Medicine Development Fund, so as to generate an additional driving force for CM development,” Chan said.
The Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Chinese Medicine Hospital and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute is held in Hong Kong on June 2, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
Commissioned by the HKSAR government and to be operated by Hong Kong Baptist University under a public-private-partnership model, the Chinese Medicine Hospital will be developed into a local flagship Chinese medicine institution and a change driver in promoting the development of services, education, training, innovation and research of the Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.
This photo dated June 2, 2022 shows symbolic items placed by Chief Executive Carrie Lam and other guests in a treasure chest of blessings at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Chinese Medicine Hospital in Hong Kong. The treasure chest of blessings will be displayed to the public in the CMH after its opening. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
The HKSAR Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute, to be managed by the Department of Health of the HKSAR government, will specialize in testing and scientific research of Chinese medicines, with focuses on research and establishing internationally recognized reference standards on the safety, quality and testing methodology of Chinese medicines through state-of-the-art technology.
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Located in Pak Shing Kok in Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong's Chinese Medicine Hospital and the HKSAR Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute cover 4.29 and 1.72 hectares of land, respectively.
With Xinhua inputs