On 22 December, the 2021 International Conference on Food and Medicinal Resources Research and Application was jointly held in Beijing by the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IFST, CAAS), Hunan University of Medicine, the affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences(ICCBS), University of Karachi, Pakistan and Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology(CBMA), University of Minho, Portugal. More than 100 officials and experts attended the conference, including Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Portugal Xu Zhida, Counsellor of Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Beijing Awais Ahmad Khan, First Secretary of Chinese Embassy in Pakistan Cao Zhouhua, Deputy director of Department of International Coorporation of CAAS Qian Yu, Director of IFST Wang Fengzhong, President of China Association for International Science and Technology Cooperation Yao Weike, Chairman of Pakistan Presidential Council on Science and Technology Atta Ur Rahman, Dean of ICCBS Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Director of CBMA Fernanda Cassio, President of Hunan University of Medicine He Qinghu.

Director Wang Fengzhong, Deputy Director Qian Yu, President He Qinghu, Dean Iqbal, Academician Atta and Director Fernanda delivered speeches on behalf of the organizers. Director Wang Fengzhong expressed the international cooperation and communication with Pakistan and Portuguese-speaking countries and regions had lasted for a long time and achieved fruitful results. On the basis of the science and technology agreement signed between China and Pakistan and between China and Portugal, the institute would further establish cooperative research centers to deepen communication and cooperation. Deputy director Qian Yu said this international symposium would further deepen the international cooperation and improve the overall level of scientific research in the field of nutrition and health, promoting the cooperation and exchange between domestic and foreign scientists. President He Qinghu pointed out Hunan University of Medicine would conduct communication of traditional medical culture and food and medicinal resources to achieve the mutual learning and development with international cooperators.

Dean Iqbal expressed that there would be more cooperation and innovation in the field of food and medicinal resources based on the China-Pakistan TCM Center. He also expected to establish a public academic platform to attract more young scientists in both countries. Academician Atta added that he would like to personally participate more TCM programs in China and hope to promote TCM industry in China and Pakistan with the efforts from all sides. Director Fernanda expressed this conference would also strengthen the cooperation on TCM between China and Portugal and improve the innovation capacity of both sides.

Awais Ahmed Khan, Xu Zhida, Yao Weike, and Cao Zhouhua delivered speeches on the conference respectively. Awais Ahmed Khan said the cooperation between China and Pakistan in the field of food and medicinal resources has been the primary consideration for the leaders of the two countries, and this would be conducive to the social and economic development in both countries, especially under the CPEC cooperation framework. Xu Zhida expressed this international symposium provides a useful platform for cooperation in the research and application of food and medicinal resources and traditional Chinese medicine, and this could provide valuable guidance and suggestions for the development and industrialization of food and medicinal plant resources products. Yao Weike said that the association was willing to work with all sides to promote the international and industrialization development of food and medicinal resources. Cao Zhouhua said that Chinese Embassy in Pakistan would continue to support China-Pakistan cooperation on traditional Chinese medicine and food and medicinal resources that would benefit people in both countries.

During the conference, Director Wang Fengzhong, Counsellor Awais Ahmad Khan, Academician Atta Ur Rahman and Dean M. Iqbal Choudhary unveiled the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center for Nutrition and Health in Beijing and Karachi, respectively. Sixteen experts from China, Pakistan, Portugal, Brazil and Macao gave wonderful academic presentations. This international conference has positive effects on scientific and technological communication and cooperation between China and Pakistan as well as Portuguese-speaking countries and regions, and promotes the traditional Chinese medicine industry and health products of food and medicinal resources going abroad.

Picture 1. The hosts’ speeches

Picture 2. Speeches on the opening ceremony

Figure 3. Unveiling ceremony

Figure 4. Experts lectures and workshop