(RECAST) Chinese medical center in Malta turns 21

The Mediterranean Regional Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) celebrated its 21st anniversary on Monday in Paola, Malta, marking the celebration with the inauguration of a project which reconstruct the center's Chinese-style garden.

Zhu Bulou, a visiting Chinese delegate and deputy secretary general of the Jiangsu provincial government said, "Traditional Chinese medicine is a national cultural treasure in China and we are delighted to share our knowledge and services with the Maltese people in this center...we are glad to know that more than 150,000 people have benefited from the treatments that were given here."

Chinese ambassador to Malta, Cai Jinbiao, also extended his warm congratulations for the reconstruction of the garden.

"For the Chinese people, it is very significant to have a serene place where to recover from illness and so I am sure that the pretty environment which will be created by this garden will provide a quick recovery to those who come at this center," said Cai.

The MRCTCM was officially established in 1994 as a partnership between the Chinese and Maltese governments. The health department of China's eastern Jiangsu province is responsible for dispatching medical teams biennially.

Apart from providing Chinese medical services, the MRCTCM has also actively carried out lectures on traditional Chinese medicine and provided courses on Chinese self-massage.

Two of the MRC's TCM doctors work outside of the center, running outpatient services at two state-run hospitals, one on Malta and the other on its sister island, Gozo. Endit