Traditional Chinese medicine is packaged at the Ban Seng Medicine Store in West Jakarta, Indonesia, on Feb 5, 2020. China Daily

At the heart of the conference was a focus on the laws and regulations of traditional Chinese medicine. The Cambodian delegation, led by Hok Kim Cheng, technical director-general, and Amnat Pheakdey, deputy director-general of Health Technology, sought to acquire knowledge and support from Chinese institutions to enhance training and production capabilities in traditional medicine. The Chinese participants reciprocated with enthusiasm, offering their expertise and ongoing support.

Chinese participants highlighted the importance of quality control in traditional medicine, which spans from the procurement of raw materials to the delivery of the final products. They emphasized the need to strengthen the distribution network of raw materials among MLC countries, aiming for a sustainable supply chain that benefits all members. Moreover, they extended invitations to MLC members to visit laboratories and traditional medicine factories in Nanning to observe and learn from their operations.

Amnat Pheakdey proposed the creation of a Cambodian pharmacopoeia to ensure the quality of traditional Khmer medicine. A pharmacopoeia, a book containing directions for the identification of compound medicines, would be a significant step forward in the formalization and recognition of traditional Cambodian herbal medicine. The proposal was met with a positive response from the Chinese, indicating a promising future for the collaboration in the field of traditional medicine.