Reporter from Bloomberg News: To which countries has China given advice on the TCM treatment of COVID-19, and have some other countries used TCM in the treatment? How's the efficacy?

Yu Yanhong: Thank you for your concern in the international cooperation of TCM. The public health crisis is a common challenge facing mankind, and solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons. After the outbreak of COVID-19, many countries and nations gave China selfless assistance. People from different countries yelled "Come on, China" and "Come on, Wuhan", making us feel understanding, support and trust across borders. Now, the epidemic is spreading in many countries and regions. China is willing to carry out TCM international cooperation in the prevention and control of the epidemic with countries in need and provide assistance within our capacity. The following work has been carried out:

First, sharing treatment experience. In treating COVID-19, we timely took the initiative to cooperate with WHO, and shared the information of TCM prevention and control of the epidemic.  The full text of the updated TCM Protocol on the Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19 was translated and put on the website of National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We offered to share the protocol with other countries and regions in need, and they can also read the full text online at any time. It should be said the protocol is the most valuable experience obtained from the collective management and treatment of tens of thousands of patients in a short period of time. It is indeed precious and TCM treatment proves quite good. We also provided technical guidance through vedio conference and shared treatment experience with Japan, South Korea, Italy, Iran, Singapore and other countries. Prof. Zhang Boli, Prof. Liu Qingquan and Dr. Qiu Haibo communicated with international colleagues several times through online meetings. A few days ago, Prof. Zhang Boli communicated online with US. Yesterday, Dr. Tong Xiaoling, an academician, conducted an online consultation in diagnosing and treating patients far away in Iran.

Second, donating TCM products. Some Chinese organizations and institutions have donated TCM patent medicines, processed pieces, acupuncture needles, etc. to a dozen of countries and regions, such as Italy, France and Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR China. Just now, Prof. Zhang Boli and Prof. Huang Luqi, both academicians, mentioned this. So, I won't go into details.

Third, sending TCM doctors abroad. Up to now, some TCM experts have already gone to Italy and Cambodia to fight the epidemic. As far as I know, Chinese TCM experts have been keeping close contact with overseas experts. From the feedback they have received, the efficacy is pretty good.

TCM is the wisdom of Chinese people in their daily practice of understanding life, elaborating lives, and revealing life and death. It provides the strategies of "prevention of disease and its deterioration” in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. It is worth inheriting, developing and making use of. Tu Youyou, a Chinese Nobel Prize owner, once said that TCM is a great treasure, and artemisinin is a gift of TCM to the whole world. I believe that TCM was, is, and will still be an important weapon for mankind to fight the "epidemic". We are willing to work with all countries in the world to overcome COVID-19 as soon as possible, and to write a colorful chapter for the promotion of human health. Thank you!