Political Consultative Conference member Lei Jufang: Proposes establishing a Tibetan medicinal resource conservation zone centered on Tibet.

　　This afternoon, Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine Co., Ltd. held a symposium in Beijing titled “2016 National Two Sessions: Exchange on the Proposal to Establish a Tibetan Medicinal Herb Resource Conservation Zone.” Lei Jufang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairwoman of Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine Co., Ltd., introduced the detailed contents of the proposal. She suggested establishing a Tibetan medicinal herb resource conservation zone centered on Tibet and including it as a key project in the 13th Five-Year Plan for national ecological protection and restoration.

　　Recently, Premier Li Keqiang pointed out at the State Council Executive Meeting that leveraging the strengths of traditional Chinese medicine can better benefit human health. The meeting decided to strengthen the protection and utilization of Chinese medicinal material resources and to standardize their cultivation and breeding practices. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is one of China’s regions with the richest biodiversity; Tibetan medicinal herbs sourced from this area boast remarkable therapeutic effects and have played a vital role in safeguarding public health for thousands of years.

　　The survey indicates that Tibet boasts 2,436 species of Tibetan medicinal resources, including 2,172 plant species, 214 animal species, and 50 mineral species. As early as 1996, Zhagonggou was designated by Milin County as a Tibetan medicinal resource conservation area. However, in recent years, purely commercial tourism—and even activities such as hunting—have increasingly caused severe damage to the area. It is now urgently necessary to launch rescue efforts and implement protective development measures for Zhagonggou.

　　In the proposal, Lei Jufang outlined four specific implementation pathways: First, implement in-situ conservation by establishing a core protection zone for Tibetan medicinal resources in Nanyigou, Linzhi, Tibet. Second, carry out ex-situ conservation through wild cultivation and artificial propagation, protecting rare and endangered Tibetan medicinal species as well as key medicinal plant varieties in locations such as Linzhi, Ali, Shannan, and Chayu in Tibet. Third, advance ex-vitro conservation efforts by establishing a germplasm bank and a gene bank for Tibetan medicinal materials, preserving seeds, tissues and organs, DNA, and other organs or tissues of endangered or endemic Tibetan medicinal resources. On this basis, conduct research on germplasm resources, wild cultivation, semi-wild cultivation, conversion from wild to cultivated, domestication, introduction of species from other regions, and development of substitutes for rare and endangered Tibetan medicinal resources. This approach will not only prevent genetic degradation but also rapidly increase population sizes, thereby promoting the conservation, optimized regeneration, and sustainable utilization of these precious and endangered Tibetan medicinal resources. Fourth, building upon the conservation of Tibetan medicinal resources, comprehensively develop and utilize these resources to drive low-carbon economic development in Linzhi, Tibet. The goal is to create an industrial park integrating three key sectors: resource-based industries, natural product and health-care product manufacturing and processing, and eco-friendly leisure tourism. This park will serve multiple functions, including resource collection and preservation, wellness and resort tourism, production and R&D of health-care products, talent cultivation, and science education. It will highlight the profound wisdom and richness of traditional Chinese medicine, showcase its significant contributions to the progress of human civilization, and embody the enduring theme of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

　　Chen Shilin, director of the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, stated that currently, the vast majority of Tibetan medicinal materials used by Tibetan pharmaceutical companies come from wild sources. The proposal to establish Tibetan medicinal material resource conservation areas will have a long-term impact on the sustainable development of Tibetan medicine in China.

　　Reporting media: Securities Times Online

　　Report link: http://kuaixun.stcn.com/2016/0302/12607165.shtml