By the end of 2020, Heilongjiang Province had achieved a medicinal herb cultivation area of 2.6 million mu, with an output of 520,000 tonnes, a production value of RMB 10.4 billion, and economic benefits of RMB 3.5 billion—representing year-on-year increases of more than 40 percentage points for each indicator. All four metrics had doubled compared with 2018, making Heilongjiang’s growth rate the highest in the country.

The Regulations of Heilongjiang Province on Traditional Chinese Medicine came into effect on January 1, 2021, explicitly providing support for the discovery, domestication, and artificial propagation of wild medicinal materials; guiding large-scale cultivation of TCM varieties that enjoy comparative advantages in Heilongjiang Province and possess strong market competitiveness; stipulating that, on the premise of lawful protection of forest resources, the cultivation of TCM herbs under forest canopies shall be encouraged and supported; and encouraging growers of TCM herbs that are both medicinal and edible to apply for the green food label in order to enhance brand recognition.

The “Implementation Opinions of Heilongjiang Province on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” clearly stipulate that priority support will be given to developing specialized production bases for signature TCM varieties such as “Longjiuwei.” Efforts will be strengthened to manage seeds and seedlings of TCM materials and to conduct research on the conservation of germplasm resources of authentic, regionally distinctive TCM materials. A number of leading TCM enterprises and major proprietary TCM products with annual output value exceeding RMB 100 million will be cultivated. Furthermore, the development of health-related TCM-derived products, as well as TCM feed additives and veterinary medicines, will be promoted.

The “Liaoning Provincial Standards for Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials (Volume 2)” came into effect on July 1, 2020, covering a total of 29 locally produced TCM materials within the province. All of these varieties are not yet included in the current edition of the National Pharmacopoeia and encompass aspects such as taste and nature, meridian tropism, therapeutic effects and indications, methods of administration and dosage, contraindications, as well as the history of medicinal use, their distribution within the province and status of resource utilization, and the establishment of quality control standards.

The Fushun Municipal Plan for the Development of the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Health Industry (2019–2035) sets forth that by 2025 the city will maintain 1 million mu of land dedicated to the cultivation of medicinal herbs, foster the establishment of approximately three demonstration-level TCM health industry bases or specialty towns, and essentially establish Xinbin as a major county for the cultivation of Liaoxixin, Qingyuan as a major county for the cultivation of Gentiana, and Fushun as a major county for the cultivation of mushroom varieties. The “China’s Premier Region for Northern Medicinal Herbs” brand will enjoy a high reputation domestically, and the scale of the TCM health industry is expected to reach RMB 6 billion. By 2035, the city aims to have more than 10 TCM health enterprises with annual output value exceeding RMB 1 billion, develop around 10 nationally influential TCM health industry bases or specialty towns, expand the scale of the TCM health industry to over RMB 15 billion, increase its share of GDP to at least 5%, and become a nationally leading “strong city” in the field of TCM.

The Regulations on the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Jilin Province, which came into effect on January 1, 2021, stipulate the establishment of a catalog of authentic medicinal materials native to Jilin Province and the promotion of a comprehensive traceability system for such materials. The regulations encourage TCM manufacturers to extend their industrial chains to the places of origin of medicinal materials, adopt green and organic agricultural standards in the cultivation and breeding of these materials, and advance the standardization and regularization of their production and farming. Furthermore, the regulations require pharmaceutical manufacturers, operators of medicinal materials, and medical institutions to establish quality management systems and to accurately record and provide relevant information that enables full traceability.

The “Implementation Opinions of Jilin Province on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and High-Quality Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that by 2022, the province’s cultivated area for medicinal materials will reach 1 million mu, and the agricultural output value of medicinal materials will reach RMB 10 billion. The document also calls for the formulation (or revision) of local standards for medicinal materials and processing specifications for traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces in Jilin Province to enhance the quality of proprietary Chinese medicines. In addition, a special campaign will be launched to rectify the quality of traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces, with strengthened supervision and management across the entire supply chain, covering all aspects and stages of the process.

The “Several Measures of Hebei Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate strict management of the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, plant growth regulators, and other agricultural inputs, and strengthen monitoring of pesticide residues and heavy metals. The measures also call for advancing the certification of green food and organic products for authentic local medicinal materials in Cangzhou, as well as the registration of geographical indication products, and for exploring the formulation and implementation of incentive policies to promote the adoption of Good Manufacturing Practice standards for the production of medicinal materials. Over a five-year period, the plan is to ensure that the origins and traceability of key TCM varieties are fully verifiable.

The “Implementation Opinions of Henan Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” propose to plan and develop bases for the production of authentic, locally sourced medicinal materials from Henan, with a focus on key varieties such as the “Four Great Huai Medicinals,” and to support the construction of high-quality TCM material production and cultivation bases in the Funiu Mountains. The document also calls for exploring the establishment of a market-based incentive and guidance mechanism that rewards high quality and fair pricing for processed TCM decoction pieces. Furthermore, it emphasizes strengthening quality control of proprietary TCM preparations and enhancing the level of intelligent manufacturing. Finally, it urges accelerating secondary R&D on classic renowned formulas and major product categories, while supporting the development of novel dosage forms, high-quality decoction pieces, formulated granules, non-pharmacological therapies, advanced TCM diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, and cutting-edge TCM equipment.

According to the “Three-Year Action Plan for Promoting Hubei Province’s Development as a Leading Province in Traditional Chinese Medicine (2020–2022),” by 2022 the province’s TCM industry is expected to achieve main business revenue of RMB 100 billion. The plan supports the development of more than 15 authentic local TCM materials, including Qiai, Poria, Coptis, and Pinellia, and aims to cultivate 3 to 5 renowned brands for these authentic products. By 2022, the total area under cultivation of TCM materials across the province is projected to reach 5 million mu. Furthermore, the plan calls for intensive efforts to foster large TCM enterprises, flagship products, and well-known brands, with the goal of establishing more than 15 nationally recognized high-quality TCM varieties and developing over 10 trading markets at the places of origin for TCM materials.

The “Implementation Opinions of Hunan Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that regional brands of TCM materials, such as the “Xiangjiuwei” series, shall be cultivated, protected, and promoted; support shall be provided for the development of TCM material brands that have obtained national geographical indication status; and eco-friendly cultivation, wild-assisted propagation, and biomimetic cultivation of TCM materials shall be implemented. In addition, a number of major proprietary TCM products with annual output value exceeding RMB 100 million and RMB 1 billion, respectively, are to be cultivated; and research, development, and promotion of TCM-based health-care products—including medicinal diets, herbal beverages, cosmeceuticals, and medicinal baths—are to be advanced.

The Regulations of Shandong Province on Traditional Chinese Medicine came into effect on January 1, 2021. The Regulations focus on key areas such as the protection of high-quality germplasm resources and authentic TCM material resources, the formulation of TCM standards and specifications, and quality control of TCM materials, refining relevant institutional designs to enhance the quality of TCM materials and elevate brand development. The Regulations stipulate the establishment of a TCM resource database and a specialized germplasm and gene bank for endemic TCM materials. They also prohibit the use of highly toxic, acutely toxic, and high-residue pesticides in the cultivation and breeding of TCM materials. Furthermore, during the processing and production of TCM decoction pieces and proprietary TCM medicines, the use of moldy, rotten, or deteriorated TCM materials is forbidden; adulteration, falsification, and dyeing to increase weight are prohibited; and processing methods such as sulfur fumigation that violate regulations are likewise prohibited.

The “Several Measures of Shandong Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” clearly stipulates that priority shall be given to strengthening the propagation of seeds and seedlings and the standardized cultivation and breeding of medicinal materials such as honeysuckle, salvia miltiorrhiza, American ginseng, hawthorn, ginkgo leaf, scutellaria baicalensis, donkey-hide gelatin, whole scorpion, toad venom, and leech. By 2022, more than 10 bases for the propagation of seeds and seedlings of authentic local medicinal materials are to be established. By 2022, risk monitoring for 10–20 proprietary Chinese medicines is to be completed, along with 2–3 national-level evaluative sampling inspections; in addition, work will be carried out to upgrade quality standards for 3–5 major specialty Chinese medicinal products. Over a three-year period, 3–5 clusters of the TCM industry are to be selected and included in the province’s “Top Ten” industrial “goose-formation” cluster database for prioritized development. Ten demonstration bases for integrated TCM-based medical and elderly-care services are to be established. Research and development of functional foods based on TCM—such as American ginseng, ganoderma, eucommia, rose, and dendrobium—are to be supported.

The Implementation Plan for Building a Province Strong in Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes strengthening the protection and rational utilization of TCM resources, advancing comprehensive surveys of these resources, and designating a number of provincial-level bases for the propagation of superior varieties of authentic TCM materials and for ecological cultivation. It calls for scaling up and upgrading the production of TCM materials, bolstering the development of standardized TCM production bases, and establishing model TCM standard gardens. The plan also aims to expand and strengthen the TCM industry, accelerate the formation of industrial alliances, and promote the organic integration of the Internet, the Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence, and blockchain with TCM, thereby fostering coordinated development across the upstream and downstream sectors of TCM production, research and development, logistics, and trade. Furthermore, it underscores the need to enhance quality assurance for TCM products, and to advance the integrated development of TCM and tourism, with the goal of creating a distinctive brand for TCM-based health tourism.

The Regulations of Shaanxi Province on Traditional Chinese Medicine stipulate that the provincial people’s government shall strengthen the protection and utilization of traditional Chinese medicinal resources, promote standardized cultivation and breeding of TCM materials, facilitate the transformation and upgrading of the TCM industry, establish a modern distribution system for TCM materials, advance the improvement of TCM quality and high-quality industrial development, and encourage and support the creation of the “Qin Medicine” brand centered on the province’s authentic, specialty, and advantageous TCM materials and pharmaceutical products.

The “Several Measures of Shaanxi Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulates that by 2022, 5 to 10 provincial-level superior seed-breeding bases for authentic medicinal materials, 10 to 15 demonstration counties for the cultivation and breeding of Chinese medicinal materials, and 10 to 15 standardized cultivation and breeding bases are to be established; in addition, 2 to 3 provincial-level demonstration bases for ecological cultivation (and breeding) of Chinese medicinal materials are to be built, and 100 “customized medicinal herb gardens” are to be recognized. At the same time, priority is to be given to developing bulk authentic medicinal materials and regionally distinctive “Qin medicines,” and the “one county, one product” cultivation (and breeding) model is to be promoted.

The Regulations of Anhui Province on Traditional Chinese Medicine explicitly stipulate support for the selection and breeding of authentic, regionally distinctive Chinese medicinal material varieties produced in Anhui, as well as for the protection of their places of origin; they also provide support for the establishment of demonstration bases for the industry and for the development and utilization of such authentic, regionally distinctive medicinal materials. Measures such as geographical indication protection are encouraged to safeguard authentic Chinese medicinal materials originating in Anhui and to cultivate well-known brands of these products. Furthermore, efforts will be strengthened to protect time-honored TCM brands, support the research and development of new TCM drugs and the secondary development of proprietary TCM formulations, and foster renowned TCM brands from Anhui.

The “Several Implementation Opinions on Reforming and Improving the Management of Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations in Medical Institutions” shall come into effect as of March 1, 2021. The document encourages the development of TCM preparations based on time-honored prescriptions from renowned TCM physicians; for such preparations that can provide evidence of a usage history of five years or more and a clinical case summary involving no fewer than 100 cases, submission of primary pharmacodynamic study data and relevant literature is exempted. Conditional exemptions are also granted for safety studies of TCM preparations, and the application procedures for resuming the preparation of TCM formulations that have not been re-registered are simplified.

The Regulations of Jiangsu Province on Traditional Chinese Medicine stipulate the standardization of procedures for the development of new varieties of medicinal materials. Variety registration shall be conducted in accordance with the Measures for the Registration of Non-Principal Crop Varieties. The regulations encourage the cultivation of authentic, locally sourced medicinal materials, promote the application of cultivation and breeding technologies for medicinal materials, foster market-oriented operating entities, facilitate linkages between agricultural producers and enterprises, and guide the establishment of shareholding cooperatives, thereby elevating the industrialization of medicinal material cultivation and breeding.

The “Implementation Opinions of Jiangsu Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” clearly stipulate that support shall be provided for the cultivation of authentic TCM materials and the establishment of standardized, large-scale TCM material production bases. It calls for the refinement of standards for TCM seed and seedling production as well as for the cultivation and breeding of TCM materials, and for the construction of high-quality TCM seed-breeding bases. Furthermore, it supports medical institutions in the research, development, use, and promotion of TCM preparations. Efforts will be strengthened to advance the R&D of new TCM drugs and to conduct post-marketing evaluation studies of proprietary TCM formulations, with concentrated resources devoted to cultivating 10 to 20 major TCM product categories and well-known brands.

The “Several Measures of Fujian Province for Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that efforts shall be made to achieve ecological cultivation of the nine signature Fujian-produced authentic TCM materials—known as the “Fu Jiu Wei”—as well as of gardenia and alisma, while elevating the level of biomimetic cultivation. Support will also be provided for the establishment of high-quality production and cultivation bases for such premium TCM materials as alisma, pseudostellaria, ganoderma, dendrobium, coix seed, polygonatum, paridis, and gardenia. Within the province, priority will be given to industrializing and clinically applying TCM decoction pieces that feature end-to-end traceability systems, as well as key authentic TCM varieties from their principal producing areas. By 2022, the goal is to develop several large-scale planting bases for major authentic medicinal materials, expand the province’s total area under TCM cultivation to 900,000 mu, and raise the agricultural output value of TCM to RMB 7.5 billion. Financial subsidies will be provided for projects such as standardized demonstration bases for the cultivation of more than 100 mu of authentic medicinal materials, superior-variety breeding bases covering over 50 mu, and demonstration and promotion of standardized production technologies on plots exceeding 500 mu.

The “Several Measures of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that basic research on Lingnan medicinal herbs shall be strengthened, and that comprehensive surveys of Chinese medicinal resources, as well as key technological research on the wild cultivation and domestication (including breeding) of endangered wild medicinal plants and animals in southern China, shall be advanced. High-quality development of the Chinese medicinal herb cultivation industry is to be accelerated through the prompt establishment of modern agricultural and forestry industrial parks for Chinese medicinal materials, with support provided for the development of region-specific industries in medicinal material-producing areas under the “One Village, One Product; One Town, One Industry” model. Furthermore, the quality assurance system for Chinese medicine shall be improved by strengthening quality control over Chinese medicinal materials, establishing a comprehensive traceability system covering the entire process from production to distribution and use, and integrating credit information on Chinese medicine enterprises into the provincial public information management system.

The “Plan for Building the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area into a Leading Hub for Traditional Chinese Medicine” sets forth the goal of essentially establishing a cooperation framework for TCM in the Greater Bay Area by 2022. It calls for the establishment of a special fund for TCM science and technology research and development, as well as the creation of multidisciplinary, integrated research platforms. The plan also supports collaboration between enterprises and medical institutions in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao to conduct research, development, and clinical application of compound formulations derived from time-honored classical TCM prescriptions. In addition, it aims to develop a number of demonstration bases for the cultivation and breeding of TCM materials with Lingnan characteristics. Furthermore, the registration and approval procedures for traditional externally applied proprietary TCM products already marketed in Hong Kong and Macao will be streamlined, with support provided to help these regions expand and strengthen their TCM industries. Finally, the plan seeks to facilitate the lawful application for market approval in Mainland China of TCM products that have been approved and registered in Macao and manufactured in the Hengqin Guangdong–Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone.

The “Implementation Opinions of Hainan Province on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Hainan Free Trade Port” clearly stipulate the undertaking of research, conservation, and development and utilization of resources related to Southern medicinal herbs, aromatic medicinal herbs, Li ethnic medicines, and marine-derived medicines. By 2022, the goal is for the output value of Southern medicinal herbs, Li ethnic medicines, and proprietary Chinese medicines to account for more than 12% of the province’s total pharmaceutical industry output value. In addition, a sound registration and management system for Chinese medicines that aligns with the characteristics of TCM and the needs of free trade port development will be established and improved. TCM will also be included in the pilot program for the transfer and commercialization of achievements from the National Major Science and Technology Special Project for the Creation of Major New Drugs in Hainan Province, with encouragement given to developing new Chinese medicines based on preparations formulated by medical institutions, time-honored classic prescriptions, and Southern, Li ethnic, and marine-derived medicines.

The Action Plan for Building Sichuan Province into a Strong Province in Traditional Chinese Medicine (2021–2025) stipulates the establishment of standardized cultivation bases, with 500,000 mu of new and upgraded standardized bases to be developed. It also calls for the cultivation of major TCM material varieties, with a focus on fostering four to six such varieties whose full-industry-chain annual output value reaches RMB 1 billion each. Furthermore, the plan aims to nurture leading enterprises and brands, striving to develop five to ten companies with operating revenues of RMB 1 billion or more and to cultivate 10 to 20 regional public brands and well-known enterprise brands. Finally, it seeks to enhance the market competitiveness of Sichuan-produced authentic medicinal materials and to develop 10 to 15 big-health products that receive market approval.

The “Implementation Opinions of Sichuan Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that efforts shall be intensified to protect TCM resources and develop the Chinese medicinal materials industry, enhance the quality of processed TCM herbs and proprietary TCM medicines, advance the development of the TCM health services sector, and improve the registration management and quality supervision of TCM products. The province aims to maintain a stable planting area of 8 million mu for TCM materials, with a total industrial output value exceeding RMB 140 billion.

The “Implementation Opinions of Yunnan Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate the need to foster high-quality development of the TCM industry. This includes advancing the scientific and standardized cultivation and production of authentic medicinal materials; enhancing the quality of TCM products by improving the local standardization system for crude TCM materials and processed TCM slices, raising the level of processing techniques and product quality; strengthening quality control and supervision of TCM materials, protecting rare and endangered wild medicinal plants, and supporting the research, development, and utilization of substitutes; accelerating the cultivation of the “Yunyao” brand; vigorously developing TCM formulated granules; promoting the development of TCM-based health services; and establishing and perfecting a sound distribution system for TCM materials, among other measures.

As of September 30, 2020, the province’s cultivated area for traditional Chinese medicinal materials reached 6.6575 million mu, with a total output of 909,900 tonnes and an output value of RMB 10.79 billion—representing year-on-year increases of 8.23%, 52.3%, and 47.04%, respectively. Guizhou leads the nation in the scale of Pseudostellaria heterophylla cultivation, with an annual output exceeding 100,000 tonnes, accounting for 40% of national demand and giving the province emerging pricing power at the national level. Furthermore, the province ranks first nationwide in terms of near-wild cultivation area and near-wild cultivation practices for Dendrobium officinale, as well as in the cultivation area, output, and output value of Dendrobium nobile; specifically, Dendrobium nobile cultivation accounts for 90% of the national total, while the total area under near-wild cultivation of Dendrobium officinale represents 85% of the national total, underscoring the region’s distinct advantages in developing specialized local industries.

The Implementation Plan for Building a Quality Traceability System for Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials in Guizhou Province stipulates that by 2022, a province-wide, nationally radiating quality traceability system for TCM materials will be established, with more than 95% of enterprises and institutions under the management of the system. The plan prioritizes the development of 10 demonstration bases for the breeding and traceability of superior TCM material varieties, 100 demonstration enterprises for “customized medicinal gardens” with traceability, 50 demonstration enterprises for primary processing at the place of origin with traceability, 50 demonstration enterprises for advanced processing at the place of origin with traceability, 5 demonstration centers for warehousing and logistics traceability of TCM materials, 500 demonstration products for TCM and greater health traceability, and the establishment of a number of model counties for TCM material quality traceability.

The Implementation Plan of Qinghai Province for Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese and Tibetan Medicine clearly states that efforts will be made to drive high-quality development of the TCM–Tibetan medicine industry by conducting research and formulating a catalog of authentic (locally produced) TCM–Tibetan medicinal materials in Qinghai; developing and refining standards for TCM–Tibetan medicinal materials and for hospital-prepared formulations of TCM–Tibetan medicines; actively supporting qualified localities and enterprises in establishing demonstration planting bases for authentic medicinal materials; and implementing a standardization action plan for TCM–Tibetan medicines. By 2025, the plan calls for the organization and formulation of 20 Tibetan medicine standards and for fully leveraging the role of the Qinghai International Cooperation Base for Tibetan Medicine.

The “Several Measures of Gansu Province on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulates that by 2025, the standardized cultivation rate of TCM materials across the province will reach over 50%; 2 to 3 TCM processing enterprises with annual sales exceeding RMB 1 billion will be cultivated; 20 major proprietary TCM products with annual sales of over RMB 100 million and 15 distinctive proprietary TCM products with annual sales of over RMB 50 million will be developed. By 2025, the total output value of the provincial TCM industry is expected to reach RMB 20 billion, while the total output value of the entire industrial chain will exceed RMB 100 billion. By 2022, the province’s static storage capacity for TCM materials will reach 1.3 million tons, the transaction value of TCM materials will reach RMB 30 billion, and the online transaction value of TCM materials will reach RMB 10 billion.

The “Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry in Jiangxi Province” stipulate that by 2023, the province’s TCM industry is to achieve total main-business revenue exceeding RMB 100 billion across the entire industrial chain. The initiative will vigorously implement the “China Pharmaceutical Capital” project in Zhangshu, Jiangxi, strengthen green and ecological cultivation of medicinal materials, and expand the influence and appeal of the “Ten Signature Jiangxi Medicinals” and “Ten Signature Jiangxi Food Ingredients.”

The “Action Plan for Technological Support of the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Jiangxi Province (2021–2025)” sets forth 16 key tasks spanning five areas: consolidating the foundation for inheritance and innovation; achieving breakthroughs in critical application technologies; building platforms for scientific and technological innovation; promoting the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements; and attracting and cultivating innovative talent teams. The plan calls for the protection of rare and endangered medicinal plant resources in Jiangxi, as well as the advancement of research on the collection of germplasm resources, the propagation of superior varieties, and the standardized cultivation and breeding of authentic local medicinal materials such as “Ten Famous Herbs of Jiangxi” and “Ten Edible Herbs of Jiangxi.” It also mandates the formulation and revision of technical standards for the cultivation (or breeding), harvesting, processing, and storage and transportation of Jiangxi-produced medicinal materials, and the establishment of an evaluation standard system for Jiangxi medicinal products.

The “Notice of the Health Commission of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Further Promoting the Implementation of the 2020 Action Plan for Revitalizing Mongolian Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulates the need to advance the management of projects related to the inheritance and innovation of these disciplines. The Autonomous Region Health Commission will organize review meetings of the Review Committees for the foundational volume, formula volume, and clinical volume of the “Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicine—Mongolian Medicine Volume”; promote the completion of the annual targets for the compilation of the “Chinese Medical Treasury” (Mongolian Medicine) and the “Ancient Classic Prescriptions” of Mongolian medicines; and continue to advance the standardization project for Mongolian medicine in the Autonomous Region, as well as the research, formulation, and submission of local standards for quality grading of seeds and seedlings used in the cultivation of Mongolian medicinal materials and other traditional Chinese medicinal materials. Furthermore, the 14 banners, counties, and districts are required to properly carry out the field survey component of the census of Mongolian and Chinese medicinal resources; and all leagues and cities are required to complete, in accordance with the relevant requirements, the annual assessment of the second batch of key specialized projects under the Autonomous Region’s initiative to develop distinctive strengths in Mongolian and Chinese medicine.

The Regulations of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasize strengthening ecological and environmental protection in production areas of authentic and specialty TCM materials, and encourage the adoption of measures such as geographical indication protection to safeguard authentic and specialty TCM materials—including goji berries, licorice, astragalus, and silver bupleurum—and to cultivate and develop regional brands for these materials. It also calls for the establishment of a database of TCM material resources and a germplasm resource bank for authentic and specialty TCM materials.

The “Implementation Opinions of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that efforts should be made to enhance the quality of TCM materials and foster high-quality development of the industry. Specifically, the plan calls for the establishment of three distinct TCM material cultivation zones—the southern Liupan Mountain area, the central arid and wind-sand region, and the northern Yellow River irrigation area—while also improving the quality management system for Ningxia wolfberry production and building a number of ecological cultivation bases for authentic medicinal materials. In addition, the registration and management of TCM products will be reformed and refined, with the filing of 30 specialty TCM preparations to be completed within three years; oversight of TCM quality and safety will be strengthened through the establishment of a multi-agency collaborative regulatory mechanism and a comprehensive traceability system covering the entire process from production to distribution and use of TCM materials.

The “Implementation Opinions of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” explicitly stipulate that the cultivation of Chinese medicinal materials shall be included within the scope of comprehensive agricultural subsidies. The document calls for the establishment of large-scale, authentic Chinese medicinal material production bases and the promotion of scaled and standardized cultivation and breeding of authentic, bulk medicinal materials such as safflower, Cistanche deserticola, and Fritillaria cirrhosa.

The “Implementation Opinions of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that efforts shall be made to advance the construction of Chinese medicinal material production bases, develop a comprehensive distribution chain for Chinese medicinal materials, strengthen the management of TCM preparations in medical institutions and the supervision of TCM quality and safety, and thereby promote the enhancement of TCM quality and the high-quality development of the industry.

Since the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the Tibet Autonomous Region has thoroughly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions and directives on TCM work, as well as the spirit of the National Conference on TCM, vigorously promoted the inheritance, innovation, and development of Tibetan medicine, and continuously deepened efforts to build Tibetan medical culture and enhance international exchanges and cooperation. A total of 352 Tibetan medicines and 128 Tibetan medicinal “kacha” preparations have been included in the Basic Tibetan Medicine List of the Tibet Autonomous Region; the number of Tibetan medicine varieties listed in the National Medical Insurance Drug Catalog has increased to 50, while the number in the regional medical insurance catalog has reached 141. Moreover, more than 300 volumes of ancient Tibetan medical texts have been collated and published, over 600 volumes of rare ancient manuscripts have been collected, and a 30-volume set titled “Reproduced Rare Ancient Tibetan Medical Texts of China” has been compiled and published by the Tibet People’s Publishing House.

The “Opinions on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Zhuang–Yao Medicine” clearly stipulate that research and innovation in these fields should be accelerated; that bases such as medicinal flora and fauna gardens and science and technology parks for Zhuang–Yao medicinal materials should be established; and that the construction of world-class medicinal plant gardens should be supported. Furthermore, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Zhuang–Yao Medicine are to be incorporated as a key component of international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, with special programs for international collaboration in these fields being implemented to promote the dissemination of their cultural heritage in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas.

The “Implementation Plan for Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Regional Traditional Chinese Medicine and Zhuang-Yao Medicinal Materials Industry” sets forth that by 2025, the scale of the regional traditional Chinese medicine and Zhuang-Yao medicinal materials industry will be stabilized at around 6 million mu, with the output value of cultivation, breeding, and primary processing reaching over RMB 50 billion; innovation capacity, product quality, and brand influence in the industry will be significantly enhanced, a number of “Gui”-branded products will be cultivated and established, and the market competitiveness of products will be markedly strengthened.

The Beijing Municipal Regulations on Traditional Chinese Medicine, effective May 1, 2021, explicitly support the cultivation of medicinal materials, promote the intensive and optimized development of TCM ecological resources, and enhance the quality of locally produced medicinal materials in the municipality. The regulations also support research institutions and pharmaceutical manufacturers in conducting studies on methods and technical standards for evaluating the safety and efficacy of TCM, thereby strengthening the research and development of new TCM drugs. In addition, financial support is provided for the R&D of compound TCM preparations derived from time-honored classic prescriptions of TCM and for the development of new TCM drugs based on TCM preparations formulated by medical institutions.

The Three-Year Action Plan for Further Accelerating the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanghai (2021–2023) explicitly sets forth the following objectives: fostering the development of a high-ground for integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta; promoting the integrated development of TCM with industries such as science and technology, tourism, health care, leisure, entertainment, artificial intelligence, and big data; and establishing specific targets for the inheritance of Haipai culture and the international standardization of TCM.

The Implementation Plan of Tianjin Municipality for Promoting the Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine stipulates that vigorous efforts shall be made to enhance the quality of TCM products and foster high-quality development of the TCM industry. This includes promoting innovation and development in the TCM industry, cultivating a number of nationally influential TCM brands, reforming and improving the registration and management system for TCM products, and strengthening oversight of TCM product quality and safety, among other measures.

The “Implementation Opinions of Chongqing Municipality on Promoting the Inheritance, Innovation, and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine” stipulate that efforts should be made to advance the inheritance, openness, and innovative development of TCM. This includes strengthening the inheritance and cultural dissemination of TCM, promoting scientific and technological innovation in TCM, and fostering the open development of TCM. Furthermore, TCM is to be integrated as a key component of exchanges and cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road.