The Central and Eastern European Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies was founded in Budapest on Saturday.

The federation was co-initiated by Chinese medicine groups from countries and regions including Hungary, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovenia, and was officially registered in Hungary last November.

"The purpose of the Federation is to unite the Chinese medicine organizations in Central and Eastern Europe, to promote the exchange and cooperation of Chinese medicine in Central and Eastern Europe, and to serve the local people's health care," the Federation President Yu Funian said.

"Relative to the Western European countries, most parts of Central and Eastern Europe, the development of Chinese medicine is still relatively slow and there are some undeveloped virgin areas," Yu explained.

He also said that Hungary, where Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is recognized by law since 2015, was an example for other countries of the region.

Yu also expressed his belief that the traditional Chinese medicine culture will further benefit the people of Central and Eastern Europe.

Former Hungarian prime minister Peter Medgyessy said that "Hungary is a welcoming country, where an important Chinese community lives, who are respected members of the Hungarian society."

More than one hundred people attended the founding ceremony, which was supported by China's Embassy to Hungary, the Hungarian government, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies and the World Federation of Acupuncture Societies.

Source: Xinhua