Vice Premier Wu Yi has pledged to support and develop the Traditional Chinese Medicine firmly and vigorously as it is facing a new of period of development with enormous opportunities.

Wu Yi made the remarks in Beijing on Thursday at a technical competition of the Traditional Chinese Medicine of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

In her speech, the official praised the Army for its contribution to developing and utilizing the Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine is a treasure of the Chinese culture and a crystal of the Chinese civilization, which has contributed a lot to the prosperity of the Chinese nation, said Wu, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

She called for being innovative in inheriting the Traditional Chinese Medicine, while absorbing achievements of the Western Medicine and other medicines of ethnic minorities in the country.

Moreover, the official said, greater efforts should be made to bring all people, including both urbanites and rural people, under the service of the Traditional Chinese Medicine.

(China Daily August 31, 2007)