At the instigation of AAET Founder President Dato Lee Yee Cheong, cooperation between AAET and CAE was reestablished in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic was then at its worst, but Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was effective in combating COVID-19 and saving many lives in China and ASEAN. It was decided that the AAET/CAE collaboration should be on TCM.
By a happy circumstance, AAET has its Secretariat in the University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Kuala Lumpur. AAET former President Professor Chuah Hean Teik was the UTAR President and the current UTAR President Professor Ewe Hong Tat is the current AAET President. AAET Executive Secretary Dr Fok Kuk Fai is also a faculty member of UTAR. UTAR has also established the TCM Centre and offer bachelor degree in TCM. https://utarhospital.org.my/utar-hospital-tcm-centre-opens-its-door-to-the-public/https://fmhs.utar.edu.my/Bachelor-of-Chinese-Medicine.php
Activities to Date
Numerous email communications, zoom meetings and webinars followed between AAET and CAE. The following are typical:
Virtual Brainstorming Meeting with Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) on the Cooperation on Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) between China and ASEAN Countries, 27 Sep 2021
A virtual brainstorming meeting between AAET and CAE was held on 27 Sep 2021 to deliberate on the cooperation on TCM between China and ASEAN countries. AAET was represented by Founding President Dato Ir Lee Yee Cheong; Vice President Ir Choo Kok Beng; Secretary General Prof Ewe Hong Tat; Emeritus Prof. Cheong Soon Keng, the Dean of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UTAR; Dr Tek Kian Keong, Chairperson of the Centre for Research in Traditional Chinese Medicine (CRTCM). UTAR; and AAET Executive Secretary Dr Fok Kuk Fai. Whereas the CAE team comprised of Mr. Tian Qi , Deputy Director General (acting in charge), Department of International Cooperation of CAE; Dr Liu Chang, Director, General Affairs Office, Department of International Cooperation of CAE; and representatives from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Binzhou Medical University and Ganzhou People’s Hospital.
Brainstorming meeting between CAE and AAET on 27 Sep 2021
Both AAET and CAE had agreed to collaborate on the TCM treatment for pandemic, research on TCM treatment for diseases common in both China and ASEAN region, sharing of TCM knowledge, the application of advanced technology in TCM and research on the effectiveness of tropical herbs. A survey would be conducted to understand the status of research collaboration and other activities in TCM between AAET members in ASEAN countries and China. CAE and AAET will kick start the cooperation by organizing webinars on TCM and related topics in the coming one year.
CAE-AAET Joint Webinar on the “Prevention and Recovery Care from COVID-19 with Chinese Medicine 25 July 2022
CAE and AAET jointly organized a fruitful webinar on the “Prevention and Recovery Care from COVID-19 with Chinese Medicine” on 25 July 2022 via Zoom and the streaming platform of IKCEST ( International Knowledge Centre for Engineering Sciences and Technology under the auspices of UNESCO). The webinar is the second of the CAE-AAET Joint Webinar series, after the 1 st CAE-AAET Joint Webinar held on 13 Jan 2022.
The webinar was officiated by the welcoming addresses delivered by CAE Secretary-General Prof. Cheng Jianfeng and AAET Secretary General Ir. Ts. Choo Kok Beng.
Welcoming address by AAET Secretary General, Ir. Ts. Choo Kok Beng
Welcoming address by CAE Secretary General, Prof. CHEN JianFeng (middle)
The joint webinar featured six (6) speakers from China, Malaysia and Indonesia:
- Cui Hongsheng (China), Chief Physician, Director of the Dept of Respiratory Medicine, BUCM Third Affiliated Hospital
- Li Yingshuai (China), Associate research fellow, Associate chief physician
- Wang Ji (China), Chief physician, the Assistant Dean of National Institute of TCM Constitution and Preventive Medicine in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), the Assistant Dean of National Institute of TCM Constitution and Preventive Medicine in BUCM
- Suryawan SE (Indonesia), Ambassador of Silk Road Friendship, Chairman of East Java Branch of Indonesian Chinese Medicine Association
- Teo Chiah Shean , Committee Member of the Malaysian Chinese Medical Society of Epidemic Control and Prevention (CMEC)
- Prof. Dr. Te Kian Keong . AAET Fellow, Director of T&CM Centre, UTAR Hospital and Ambassador of Silk Road Friendship
Prof Wang Ji’s presentation on “Prevention of COVID-19 with Traditional Chinese Medicine”
Mr. Suryawan SE delivered his talk on “The Application of Chinese Medicine in the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 in Indonesia”
Prof. Cui Hongsheng’s presentation on “Exploration of Etiology and Pathogenesis and Interpretation of TCM Guidelines for COVID-19”
Dr. Teo Chiah Shean delivered his talk on the “Challenges in implementing Chinese medicine during COVID-19 in Malaysia
Dr. Li Yingshuai’s presentation on “Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing Care in Recovery Period in COVID-19”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Te Kian Keong presented his report on “Skin, Nose, Lung and Heart Pattern Identification of Chinese Medicine for COVID-19”
More than 1,600 participants attended the joint webinar, composed of CAE and AAET members, experts, practitioners & students in TCM and various stakeholders in public health from China, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines and other countries.
CAE and AAET are going to organize more webinars on TCM in the near future. Both academies shall invite TCM experts to form a working group to deliberate on the collaboration opportunities between China and ASEAN countries in TCM researches and application.
A delegation from CAE was expected to visit AAET in Kuala Lumpur in 2023 to sign the AAET/CAE MOU to firm up the collaboration on TCM. Due to unavoidable circumstances, the visit is postponed to 2024.
Seeking support from Bank of China
Dato Lee Yee Cheong is very impressed by the speech of the President of the Bank of China Mr Liu Jin 中行行长刘金：”正在和其他同业合作，共同成立中医药“一带一路”发展基金” in the China Development Forum 24 March 2024.
The AAET/CAE Collaboration Project seeks financial support from the TCM One Belt One Road Development Foundation to expedite exchanges of TCM experts and researchers between ASEAN and China and to initiate joint research projects in TCM and indigenous traditional medicine in ASEAN countries.