A pharmacist processes traditional Chinese medicine at a Beijing Tongrentang Group Co Ltd factory in Beijing. [Photo/China Daily]

Zhejiang authorities recently issued a plan to develop the province's traditional Chinese medicine sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.

It was the first time Zhejiang or any provincial-level region in China has drawn such a detailed development blueprint for the TCM industry.

The plan goes into detail about the province's TCM heritage, development, and prospects, including the province's top 10 TCM schools of thought and 41 different TCM divisions.

A highlight of the plan is brand building for TCM-relevant services, manufacturing, innovation, and cultural promotion.

Zhejiang authorities require all counties and county-level cities to have at least one State-run TCM hospital, and that 95 percent of such hospitals should be at the 2A level and above by the end of 2025. Every health service center in all residential communities and townships is required to employ at least one TCM doctor by that time.