Recently, a delegation from the International Academy of Food and Medicinal Plants (IAFPH) visited the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) for an exchange and symposium. The two sides conducted in-depth discussions focusing on core topics such as the international dissemination of traditional medicine, the global popularization of appropriate technologies for acupuncture and moxibustion, interdisciplinary academic research on the homology of medicine and food, and the co-construction of transnational scientific research cooperation platforms. By building a consensus on multi-party collaboration, they aim to jointly promote the high-quality global integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and traditional medicine.
Yang Jinsheng, Secretary-General of WFAS, attended the symposium, accompanied by Yang Yuyang, Executive Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the General Department, as well as Liu Jingyuan, Lei Li, Qiao Huijun, and other relevant officials from the Secretariat. Representing the Academy, Jean-Yves Moisseron (President of IAFPH), Feng Shixing (Executive Vice President), Wang Yu (Member of the Scientific Committee), Xu Chunhua (Member of the Cultural Committee), and Bu Zhuo (Translator of the Secretariat) attended the exchange.
The World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) is an authoritative academic organization in the global field of acupuncture and traditional medicine. With a profound heritage and outstanding achievements, WFAS has long been deeply engaged in formulating international acupuncture standards and norms, cultivating premium and high-end professional talent, facilitating transnational academic exchanges and mutual learning, and establishing global cooperation networks. It continues to lead the standardized, normalized, scientific, and international development of acupuncture and moxibustion medicine worldwide.
During the symposium, Jean-Yves Moisseron, President of IAFPH, pointed out that IAFPH is committed to promoting food safety, the protection of medicinal plant resources, and the modernization and transformation of traditional medicine globally based on the "One Planet, One Health" concept. Subsequently, he introduced the Academy's Joint Research Unit (JRU) cooperation system in detail. This platform effectively dismantles geographical barriers, cultural differences, and institutional collaboration obstacles, comprehensively empowering transnational multilateral scientific research synergy, the implementation of featured technologies, and the translation of industry-academia-research achievements. Currently, multiple well-known domestic and foreign institutions have been integrated into this system, achieving deep interconnected cooperation. These institutions include Cadi Ayyad University (Morocco), the University of Cabo Verde, the Inter-State School of Veterinary Sciences and Medicine of Dakar (Senegal), Nangui Abrogoua University (Côte d'Ivoire), the ISARA (Lyon, France), as well as Henan University of Chinese Medicine and Henan Agricultural University (China). Their operations span joint research breakthroughs, the co-cultivation of international talent, the promotion of featured technologies, and the industrial commercialization of research results, strongly driving the integrated industry-academia-research fusion across China, Europe, and Africa in multiple fields, including acupuncture, moxibustion, medicinal plants, and healthcare/medical care.
Moisseron expressed that IAFPH will utilize the JRU as its core bond to link universities, scientific research institutions, and industry associations across China, Europe, and Africa. The Academy will continuously strive to promote and disseminate traditional Chinese medicine overseas, popularize appropriate traditional healthcare technologies such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and Baduanjin, and officially submit its application for federation membership to WFAS.
Secretary-General Yang Jinsheng highly praised IAFPH's international cooperation achievements and its development planning. He noted that as an interdisciplinary and transnational international academic research platform, IAFPH has demonstrated a unique scientific research vision in the fields of medicinal plant exploitation, functional food R&D, and the global dissemination of TCM culture. He gladly accepted the Academy's membership application. Concurrently, he encouraged IAFPH to fully leverage its cross-regional international resource advantages, actively participate in the popularization and promotion of acupuncture and moxibustion technologies in the European and African regions of WFAS, and continuously widen the path for the overseas dissemination of TCM. He also provided professional, precise, and practical guidance and suggestions for IAFPH's subsequent development regarding long-term platform construction, pragmatic project implementation, and international norm alignment.
Jean-Yves Moisseron, President of IAFPH, and Yang Jinsheng, Secretary-General of WFAS, posing together for a commemorative photo.
Executive Deputy Secretary-General Yang Yuyang has consistently provided numerous constructive recommendations for the development of IAFPH. During this symposium, she explicitly stated that WFAS will extend greater support to IAFPH to jointly accelerate the internationalization process of traditional medicine.
Jean-Yves Moisseron, President of IAFPH, and Yang Yuyang, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of WFAS, posing together for a commemorative photo.
Both sides unanimously expressed that they will take this exchange as an opportunity to deepen the complementarity of resources and forge a synergistic force. They will continuously promote the global outreach of traditional medicine, including acupuncture and moxibustion, enhance the discourse power of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in global health governance, and facilitate mutual learning and appreciation among traditional medicines of various countries, thereby jointly contributing to the high-quality development of the health cause for all humankind.
After the meeting, the IAFPH delegation and the WFAS Secretariat attendees posed together for a commemorative photo.