Hong Kong, July 1, 2005 - Hong Kong Tourism Board ("HKTB") has recently unveiled this year's Hong Kong Shopping Festival, which is for the first time including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a highlight of the extravaganza. With the support of HKTB, the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Merchants Association and Eu Yan Sang (Hong Kong) Limited ("Eu Yan Sang") are jointly staging a four-day "Chinese Medicine Expo 2005" at the Grand Century Plaza in Mongkok between July 1 and 4. Themed "Hong Kong Brand for Authentic TCM", the expo is co-organized by Pak Shing Tong Group and the School of Chinese Medicine ("SCM"), Hong Kong Baptist University ("HKBU").
"Chinese Medicine Expo 2005" opens today in the presence of The Hon Mrs Selina Chow, GBS, OBE, JP, Chairman of the HKTB.
Mr Tommy Li Ying-sang, MH, JP, Chairman of the Chinese Medicine Committee, Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong, said at the ceremony: "With the consistent and collective efforts of the local industry participants, we have been able to accord a quality status for TCM sold in Hong Kong. We are delighted to be a highlight of this year's Shopping Festival as it will enable us to promote the use of authentic TCM as a natural way of keeping good shape. We look forward to welcoming both local and overseas visitors to the expo."
In addition to information on TCM, also exhibited at the expo are such valuable and rare Chinese Materia Medica as Ox Bezoar, Moschus and Black Rhinoceros, as well as antique utensils and historic manuscripts of Chinese medicine. Activities during the four-day expo include seminars hosted by professors of the SCM of HKBU, free medical consultation with herbs sponsored by Eu Yan Sang, quiz sessions and Tai Chi classes.
Mr Richard Eu, Group CEO of Eu Yan Sang noted: "Our corporate mission is to Care for Mankind by providing the means to realise good life-long health. We have therefore put in place at the expo a "Path to Health", which starts with the burgeoning of the local TCM industry, then to the two pillars of the reform of our industry – scientific research and GMP manufacturing – and ends with an introduction to the Eu Yan Sang corporate citizen."
"A new regulation introduced last year under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance requires all TCM products sold in Hong Kong to have a statement of origin, registration details, clinical proofs of claims, and license information of registered distributors. The new mandate has helped enhance the acceptance of TCM among the general public. With Hong Kong's sustained efforts and sound management infrastructure, we have already laid solid foundation for the continued reform of the TCM industry," added Mr Li.
About Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Merchants Association Founded in 1928, the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Merchants Association is one of the earliest non-profit-making TCM bodies in Hong Kong. Its members include TCM distributors, retailers and manufacturers. The missions of the association are to promote the heritage of TCM, enhance industry ties and provide professional opinions for regulatory issues. In a bid to broaden its scope of services, the association has organized overseas visits to encourage the exchange of expertise, and has participated actively in such community services as TCM seminars and events.
About Eu Yan Sang Group Listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, Eu Yan Sang International Limited is a progressive, global healthcare company with its core focus in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Today, the Company manufactures and markets fine quality, Chinese herbs and medicine under the brand name "Eu Yan Sang." A household name in Asia for over 120 years, Eu Yan Sang has since earned an unrivalled reputation as the leader in the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
The Group currently offers more than 200 products under its Eu Yan Sang brand name and over 1000 different types of Chinese herbs and other medicinal products. Manufacturing activities are carried out primarily at its two factories located in Chai Wan, Hong Kong and Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which are Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-certified. Eu Yan Sang's factory in Hong Kong has also received the highly respected TGA-certification. It produces more than 50 different types of powder, pill and capsule products, including its flagship products, Bak Foong Pill and Bo Ying Compound.
Eu Yan Sang's products are readily available in over 90 of its own stores spread across Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as in over 5,000 drugstores, supermarkets, medical halls and convenience stores worldwide. In addition, its cybershop at www.euyansang.com offers global customers the ease and convenience of buying its products online. The company also operates a chain of 11 TCM clinics in Singapore and Malaysia and two specialist TCM clinics in Singapore under its own brand name. In Australia, it operates four "YourHealth" integrative medicine centres (IMCs).
About School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), the former Hong Kong Baptist College, was founded in 1956. In November 1994, the institution was formally renamed Hong Kong Baptist University. To meet the needs of the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong, the University started its endeavors in the teaching and research of Chinese medicine since 1997. The School of Chinese Medicine, HKBU, was formally established in 1999. It comprises three divisions, namely, the Teaching Division, Clinical Division, and Research & Development Division. After several years of hard efforts and strive for development, the School has built up a comprehensive teaching and learning structure, a 50-strong faculty staff with an array of cutting-edge research instruments. Having established its reputation in the area of quality control and assurance of Chinese medicines, the School is now focused on the research of the curative mechanisms of Chinese medicine on various diseases including elderly and degenerative illnesses, diabetes, arthritis rheumatism and irritable bowel syndrome.
About Pak Shing Tong Group Founded in 1920 at Bonham Strand West in Sheung Wan, where the traditional Chinese trades blossomed, Pak Shing Tong Group specializes in the selling of premium Chinese medicine, ginseng and bird's nests, and has been a name associated with superb quality and excellent value for money. Recognized for its dedication to quality service and products, Pak Shing Tong Group was awarded "The Hong Kong Tourism Services Award 2002". In a recent Mystery Shoppers Programme organized by the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, Pak Shing Tong was selected a "Service Retailer of the Year" in the specialty shop category among 3,000 retailers in Hong Kong, validating the Group's service pledge and professionalism.