From April 14 to 17, the 2025 “Kuliang Bond” China-U.S. Youth Health Dialogue took place in Guangdong. On April 16, the delegation visited Foshan, where they toured local pharmaceutical companies and medical institutions. The event aimed to foster exchange between Chinese and American youth and explore cutting-edge developments in the healthcare field.
Foshan, known as the "Ancestral Home of Lingnan Medicine" and the "Hometown of Traditional Patent Medicine in Guangdong," has a long and rich history in the medical and health industry. During the event, medical students from prestigious universities such as Yale, Stanford, Harvard, the University of Chicago, and the University of Michigan, along with Chinese medical professionals, visited representative pharmaceutical enterprises and hospitals in the city.
The delegation learns about traditional Chinese medicine culture at Yifang Pharmaceutical. (Photo by Liao Mingcan)
At Yifang Pharmaceutical, members of the delegation expressed great interest in the company's self-developed automated Chinese medicine dispensing system. Powered by intelligent digital technologies, this system replaces traditional manual dispensing, enhancing efficiency and reducing errors in pharmacies.
The delegation visits Yifang Pharmaceutical's automated Chinese medicine dispensing system. (Photo by Liao Mingcan)
"I'm really excited to see so many advanced medical technologies!" said Maximilian Wagner, a medical student from the University of Michigan.
At Foshan Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Hospital, teams from various TCM specialty departments shared their expertise with the delegation. Many American students had the opportunity to experience traditional therapies like acupuncture, tuina (therapeutic massage), and bone-setting firsthand.
At Foshan TCM Hospital, the delegation listens to presentations from TCM specialty departments. (Photo by Liao Mingcan)
"It was amazing! It hurt during the massage, but I felt much better afterward," said Adaora Ekwonu, a medical student from the University of Chicago, after trying tuina at the TCM hospital. She is preparing for a career in psychiatry and viewed this as a valuable opportunity to learn how TCM and Western medicine can be integrated.
Adaora Ekwonu experiences traditional Chinese tuina therapy. (Photo by Liao Mingcan)
"This visit to Foshan gave me a profound impression of how well traditional Chinese and Western medicine can complement each other," said Dr. Li Xu, Chief Physician at Beijing Hospital. "Foshan has a rich TCM culture and abundant medical resources. Each hospital here has its own unique strengths, and I hope to visit Foshan again in the future."
In 2024, Foshan’s biopharmaceutical and health industry surpassed 100 billion yuan in total scale, marking a 26% year-on-year growth. This activity not only helped international youth better understand Foshan, but also served as a platform to promote integrated development in healthcare and global collaboration between TCM and Western medicine.
The delegation visits the Foshan Ancestral Temple
During their visit, the delegation also explored Foshan's iconic cultural sites, including the Foshan Ancestral Temple, Nanfeng Kiln, and Shiwan Winery, deepening their understanding of Lingnan culture and strengthening people-to-people connections.
Reporter: Bai Hua
Video: Liao Mingcan, Chen Xitong
Editor: Wei Shen, James, Shen He
