On 26 September, the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital hosted the Sichuan TCM Overseas Tour - TCM Cultural Festival in Porto, Portugal. Participants included Zhou Yiping, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Portugal‑China SMEs Chamber of Commerce; Laura Lopes, Director of the Postgraduate TCM Programme at the School of Health, Atlantic Business School; Lei Xueju, Deputy Party Secretary of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital; Professor Liao Dazhong from the Department of Oncology and Hematology; and Associate Professor Guan Taiyuan, Deputy Director of the Joint‑Ankle Sub‑division, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology.
Lei Xueju delivered an opening address. He noted that the hospital has long been committed to the inheritance, innovation and international cultural outreach of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This Cultural Festival serves not only as a grand event for China‑Portugal cultural exchange, but also as a key opportunity to advance practical cooperation between both sides in TCM. It is expected that the event will allow local Portuguese residents and overseas Chinese to experience the unique charm of TCM culture in an immersive manner, bringing TCM across national borders into the daily lives of the Portuguese public.
Tian Xingjun, Director of the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, gave a video address. Observing the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China‑Portugal Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, he stated that Sichuan TCM will uphold the principle of inclusiveness and mutual learning. Working with all sectors in Portugal, Sichuan will promote the in‑depth integration of TCM culture and modern medicine, extend the benefits of characteristic TCM therapies to more Portuguese people, and make greater contributions to global health and well‑being.
Zhou Yiping and Laura Lopes also delivered remarks in succession. They extended best wishes for the event and looked ahead to broad prospects for future international cooperation on TCM.
During the event, Professor Liao Dazhong and Associate Professor Guan Taiyuan gave special lectures on TCM health preservation, instructed participants in Baduanjin (the Eight‑Section Brocade), a traditional TCM health‑qigong exercise, and ran a special onsite free‑clinic session offering TCM health consultations.
The event was sponsored by the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and undertaken by the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. More than 90 Portuguese representatives attended, including João Gomes, representative of Portugal’s Yidao Acupuncture & TCM Centre; Luís Dias, President of the Portuguese Energy Medicine Association; and Zhang Yan, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Minho.
While in Portugal, the delegation led by Lei Xueju paid visits to institutions including the Portuguese Energy Medicine Association, Portugal’s Yidao Acupuncture and TCM Centre, and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto. The delegation also attended the inauguration ceremony for the new leadership of the Portugal Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, and held exchange talks with representatives of local medical and related institutions on TCM culture.
