Traditional Chinese medicine is becoming increasingly popular in Portuguese-speaking countries, especially in terms of adjuvant treatment and pain relief, and has become one of the most important choices for the Mozambican people to seek medical treatment. From understanding, awareness, popularization to development, we can see Macao's role as a bridge between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Traditional Chinese medicine serves the world
Today, it is not difficult to find TCM physiotherapy clinics in Mozambique, and the local confidence in acupuncture, massage and TCM comes in part from the word of mouth of more and more patients who have applied it in practice.
Valérie Morais said: "I couldn't walk because of sciatica, so I sought TCM treatment. I am very happy with the results after trying it and feel much better after the first treatment. Now, I can walk and I don't feel the pain I used to. According to Luís Damas, a physician in charge of an acupuncture centre in the Mozambican capital, many patients with incurable diseases already know how to turn to traditional Chinese medicine.
From anti-depression and anxiety during the epidemic, to alleviating hormonal imbalances, regulating digestive and respiratory problems, and even caring for shoulders, necks and joints, many Mozambicans have received practical help from traditional Chinese medicine, which has also made the demand for traditional Chinese medicine in the local area increasing.
In addition to the locals who have been trained to provide TCM services in Mozambique, there are also many Chinese experts who have taken the initiative to help those in need. Wei Yang, a TCM practitioner who has been practicing in Mozambique for 10 years, is one of them. "Our massages are specifically for patients who have had a stroke or have a hernia problem, and we also do foot and relaxation massages, etc. ”
One of the missions of such a TCM physiotherapy center is to popularize TCM knowledge and promote Chinese culture, not only to help patients and create jobs, but also to provide free consultations to some elderly people. Jenny Zandamela, an employee at the center, is currently learning some massage techniques.
Practicing Macao's role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries
People's interest and demand for traditional Chinese medicine and related therapies have led to good interaction between China and Portuguese-speaking countries in the big health industry.
Over the years, China has been contributing to the training of TCM professionals in Portuguese-speaking countries, and Macao has continued to play an important role in this through the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Guangdong-Macao Co-operation.
Traditional Chinese medicine techniques passed down to Mozambique have today become the new knowledge of hundreds of Mozambican technicians and are used in thousands of patients across the country. Since 2018, acupuncture therapy has been introduced in the main provincial hospitals in the central and northern regions of Mozambique, as part of the bilateral cooperation between Mozambique and China, which has also had a continuing effect.
At the same time, with the strong support of the Central Government, the Macao SAR has vigorously developed the health industry, committed to becoming an international centre for innovation and scientific research in traditional Chinese medicine, and expanding the sales of its products to Portuguese-speaking countries.
Through the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Guangdong-Macao Cooperation, Macao has actively supplied high-quality products to Portuguese-speaking countries, meeting the needs of the market and establishing a good reputation.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Guangdong-Macao Cooperation
Traditional Chinese medicine products sail from Macao
In 2021, the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration (NMPA) was entrusted by the NMPA to scientifically simplify the registration and approval process for traditional proprietary Chinese medicines for external use marketed in Hong Kong and Macao in the Mainland, further creating favorable conditions for the development of the Chinese medicine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
At present, with the help of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Guangdong-Macao Cooperation, many Macao brands have successfully brought Macao-made traditional Chinese medicine products to Mozambique and completed the registration of local traditional medicines, taking advantage of the development of the Chinese medicine industry in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
For example, in 2018, a well-known Macau analgesic oil brand successfully entered the market of Portuguese-speaking countries.
"Our product is a botanical, which can be registered to enter the Mozambican market, so we have partnered with the industrial park. They assisted us in translating our products into Portuguese, completing the requirements for local registration, and understanding the needs of the local government. ”
"We have always felt that Mozambique is a pilot," said the head of the company. There are many other Portuguese-speaking countries, including Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, etc., which are also our next target. ”
According to reports, in addition to being sold in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Mozambique, its brand of analgesic oil will soon be available in Singapore and Brazil.
"The traditional Chinese medicine and health industry is an important industry in Macao's '1+4' moderately diversified development strategy, and it is the focus of Macao's future development of the real economy. Enterprises can make good use of Macao's service platform for commercial and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries to promote traditional Chinese medicine and health products to Portuguese-speaking countries. "Many people in charge of traditional Chinese medicine enterprises that have settled in Macao are full of confidence in the market.
Text & Image Sources:
《Macao Magazine》(《MACAU》葡文杂志)
Macau (Chinese magazine)
Traditional Chinese medicine is sought after by Portuguese-speaking countries, see what Macau has done
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is increasingly sought after in Portuguese-speaking Countries (PLP), especially in ancillary treatment and pain relief, making it a more sought-after choice for Mozambicans. Throughout the process of knowing, knowing, popularizing and developing, we can see Macau's role as a bridge between China and the PSCs.
Traditional Chinese medicine serves the whole world
Nowadays, it is not at all difficult to find a therapeutic clinic of Chinese medicine in Mozambique, and the confidence of Mozambicans in acupuncture, massages and traditional Chinese medicine has a lot to do with the result obtained by patients after receiving treatments.
"I sought the therapeutic treatment of Chinese medicine because I couldn't walk, because of the pain caused by a sciatic nerve. I tried it and I'm very happy with the result. Right from the first session I felt much better. Today I can walk without pain," says Valérie Morais, one of the patients at the Acupuncture Clinic in the Mozambican capital. Luís Damas, a doctor at this clinic, indicated that many patients with difficult and complicated diseases already know how to resort to traditional Chinese medicine as an auxiliary treatment.
Many Mozambicans have received practical help with Chinese medicine, from fighting depression and anxiety during the epidemic, relieving hormonal imbalances, digestive or respiratory problems, to caring for shoulders, neck and joints, which makes traditional Chinese medicine increasingly sought after in Mozambique.
In addition to Mozambicans who provide traditional Chinese medicine services after receiving proper training, there are also many Chinese specialists who develop their skills in Mozambique to help people. Wei Yang is a specialist in traditional Chinese medicine who opened his clinic in Mozambique ten years ago. "My massage is specialized for people who have had problems associated with strokes or hernias. I also do reflexology, which is a massage to the sole of the foot, and massages for relaxation," says the doctor.
This type of traditional Chinese medicine clinic not only helps patients, creates jobs, and even offers free consultations to some elderly people, but also takes on the role of promoting traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese culture. Jenny Zandamela, one of the clinic's employees, has been learning massage techniques.
Putting into practice Macao's role as a Sino-Lusophone platform
People's interest and demand for traditional Chinese medicine and related therapeutics leads to good interaction between China and PSCs in the Big Health industry.
The Chinese authorities have contributed to the training of professionals in the field of traditional Chinese medicine in the Portuguese-speaking countries, with Macau playing an important role in this context, both through the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macau) and the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Scientific and Industrial Park for Cooperation.
The techniques of traditional Chinese medicine transmitted to Mozambique have now become a new knowledge of hundreds of Mozambicans and used in thousands of patients throughout the country. In 2018, acupuncture was introduced in the main provincial hospitals in the central and northern regions of Mozambique, as part of bilateral cooperation between Mozambique and China.
At the same time, with the strong support of the Central Government, the Macao Special Administrative Region is committed to developing the Big Health industry, in an effort to build an international centre for innovation and scientific research in traditional Chinese medicine and extended to the export of products to the Portuguese-speaking Countries.
Through the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Scientific and Industrial Park for Cooperation, Macao actively provides high-quality products to the PSCs, meeting market demand and at the same time establishing a good reputation.
Traditional Chinese medicine products leave Macao for the world
In 2021, commissioned by the National Medical Products Administration, the Medicines Administration of Guangdong Province launched the policy of simplifying the registration and approval process of traditional Chinese medicines for external use already marketed in Hong Kong and Macao, thus creating better conditions for the development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
With the support of the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Scientific and Industrial Park for Cooperation, several Macao brands have successfully registered and marketed traditional Chinese medicine made in Macao, taking advantage of the good wind of the development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin to navigate the world.
For example, in 2018, a famous brand of medicinal oil began to be marketed in the PSCs.
"Our products are of organic origin, so we can enter the Mozambican market through registration as an organic product and in the health area. We started a cooperation with the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Scientific and Industrial Park for Cooperation, which helped us translate the documents into Portuguese, meet some local registration requirements, and understand the needs of the Mozambican government."
"We have always seen Mozambique as a pilot project. In fact, there are many other PSCs, including Brazil, Agola and Cape Verde, which are our next targets," said the head of the respective company.
According to the same official, in addition to Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Mozambique, his brand of medicinal oil will also enter the market in Singapore and Brazil.
"The Big Health industry of traditional Chinese medicine is an important industry in the development strategy of the proper diversification of the "1+4" economy and is one of the priorities of the development of Macao's real economy in the future. Enterprises can take full advantage of the service platform for trade cooperation between China and Macao's PSCs, so as to promote traditional Chinese medicine Big Health products to the PSCs." Several managers of traditional Chinese medicine companies that set up in Macao are optimistic about the market.