A delegation from the Macau Institute for Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration (ISAF) visited Hanoi from August 25 to 27 to attend the Seminar on the Exchange Platform for the Quality of Medicinal Ingredients between China and ASEAN. The event reinforced dialogue with Vietnamese authorities and regional representatives on supervision and the development of traditional medicine.
The seminar, co-organized by the Guangxi Medical Products Administration and the Vietnam National Institute for Drug Quality Control, brought together government representatives, experts, and academics from mainland China, Hong Kong, and ASEAN countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. At the event, Macau delegates presented the city’s registration system for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its administration policies, aiming to boost confidence in Macau’s products within ASEAN markets.
The visit also included a working meeting with the Vietnam Administration of Traditional Medicine, during which ISAF Vice President Lei Sai Ian highlighted the Macau SAR Government’s focus on the TCM sector as part of its economic diversification strategy. Discussions explored ways to facilitate market entry for Macau’s TCM products in Vietnam, where there is already high acceptance of Chinese traditional medicine.
Tran Minh Ngoc, Vice President of the Vietnam Administration of Traditional Medicine, noted that Vietnam’s traditional medicine practices are similar to those of China and recognized the quality of products that comply with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. He also expressed interest in understanding Macau’s market access framework to enable Vietnamese products to enter the territory.
Both sides deepened exchanges on areas such as quality standards, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and cooperation within the Forum for the Harmonization of Herbal Medicines in the Western Pacific Region, establishing a foundation for the bilateral circulation of traditional medicine products.
The Macau delegation also visited the Vietnam National Institute for Drug Quality Control and the Hanoi University of Pharmacy to gain a better understanding of Vietnam’s systems for laboratory testing, scientific research, and talent training, laying the groundwork for future cooperation in pharmaceutical supervision, research and development of traditional medicine, and professional training.
