MINSK, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Belarus has put emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in its bilateral cooperation with China in recent years, and discovered possibilities to boost development in this field, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 18, the Great Stone China-Belarus industrial park which sits close to Minsk welcomed a new resident company, Novoera Biotech, with a project in the field of TCM. At the first stage, it plans to organize the production of medicines for the treatment of COVID-19.

"In the fight against a new type of coronavirus, traditional Chinese medicine has proved to be effective in terms of supportive therapy and prevention," Belarusian Ambassador to China Yuri Senko has told Xinhua.

First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov said in an interview with Xinhua in February that Belarus has prepared a draft presidential decree on further improving the conditions for doing business in the industrial park, according to which the most comfortable conditions will be created in Belarus for the production of medicines and medical devices, as well as the provision of medical care and diagnostics.

Preferential conditions have been worked out with Chinese partners, Snopkov said, adding, "We expect to create a powerful regional center of traditional Chinese medicine, which will become the core of a whole cluster of medical goods and services in the park regarding both modern and traditional medicine."

In addition, a Eurasian TCM center to be established in the industrial park will see cooperation with research and healthcare institutions of Belarus and neighboring countries to exchange experience in TCM.

TCM has played a unique role in the fight against COVID-19 in Belarus, receiving high recognition and praise.

"In April and May 2020, the leadership of Gansu Province, Beijing City, Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine provided us with TCM drugs for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19," which "have shown their high efficiency and received extremely positive feedback from Belarusians," Snopkov said.

"It is noteworthy that people who took these drugs noticed an improvement in their physical health: symptoms of chronic diseases began to disappear or subside, immunity improved, digestion was normalized, and swelling decreased," he added.

Cooperation on TCM between China and Belarus has been promoted for years. In August 2015, Belarus published a presidential directive on the development of bilateral relations with China, which determined key areas of cooperation between the two countries, including the creation of TCM centers throughout the country.

The regulatory document has significantly contributed to bilateral TCM cooperation. Seven TCM centers are currently operating in Belarus.

Senko said he believes that bilateral cooperation in the field of TCM is promising. "Traditional Chinese medicine is not just a system of treatment. It is culture, teaching, history and wisdom of the Chinese people," he said.

TCM today is a synergy of great experience and innovation, which attracts the attention of more and more countries and people, he added.

The combination of TCM approaches, Belarusian traditional medicine and the possibilities of modern medicine has a significant synergistic potential.

"Belarus has its own traditions and practice of traditional medicine. Due to climatic and natural features, the country is rich in various medicinal herbs, and herbal medicine is also used in modern medicine," Snopkov said.

"Our deepening into the issues of traditional Chinese medicine showed the similarity of approaches ... Dandelion root, birch chaga, chamomile, rose hips are widely used, and this list may be continued endlessly," he said.

Supporting TCM is a state policy of Belarus, Snopkov noted. The Belarusian side has reached an agreement with Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine to establish a branch of the university on the territory of the industrial park.

The branch will teach physiotherapy, acupuncture, and manual therapy, among others, in cooperation with a Belarusian sports rehabilitation center. Enditem

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