The theme of this year's conference is "Technology Empowerment and Integrated Development: Advancing Traditional Medicine for All", according to the organizers.

　　"The conference has so far invited 92 overseas experts and scholars and 62 domestic ones to deliver academic reports, with international speakers accounting for 60 percent of the total," said Huang. "They will present 154 high-level speeches and reports as well as multiple dialogues."

　　A variety of topics will be discussed at the event, including traditional medicine's integration into the mainstream international health systems, promotion of primary healthcare, advancement of evidence-based development of traditional medicine, education and training, herbal medicine quality, drug regulation and artificial intelligence, according to Huang.

　　The inaugural edition of the World Conference on Traditional Medicine was held in December 2024 in Beijing, providing a platform to enhance global access to traditional and complementary medicine and to promote its integration into healthcare systems worldwide.

　　Qin Huaijin, secretary-general of the World Conference on Traditional Medicine, said this year's conference will highlight the role of AI and other emerging technologies in stimulating the inheritance and innovation of traditional medicines, as well as the role of traditional medicines in tackling key global health challenges such as chronic diseases and acute infectious diseases.

　　The event will also produce a report on AI-empowered development of traditional medicine and an initiative on the protection and sustainable use of traditional medicinal plant resources, he added.

　　wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn