On December 6, the Inauguration Ceremony of the Sino-Japan-South Korea Alliance for Wellness & Care Industry, led by the Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (ZCMU), was held in Hangzhou, China, under the guidance and support of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Zhejiang Provincial People's Government and the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province. The Alliance was jointly initiated by nearly 40 universities, nursing institutions for the aged and related associations from China, Japan and South Korea, and is committed to promoting the integration of industry and academia and international cooperation in the field of wellness and care. More than 200 leaders, guests and experts from home and abroad attended the event.

The scene of the event

Wang Hongwei, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, Lan Jingjing, Director of International Office of Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, Chen Zhong, President of the ZCMU, Sun Qiuhua, Former Secretary of the Party Committee of ZCMU, Mayumi Shoji, President of Japan-China Senior Citizens Welfare Association, Shoji Nishimura, professor of the Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, and Park Su-jin, Dean of the International Exchange Institute, Sehan University (Sehan University-IEI), were among the leaders and guests who attended the conference. The event was presided over by Wu Chengliang, Vice President of the ZCMU.

Chen Zhong firstly expressed a warm welcome to the leaders and guests on behalf of the ZCMU, and pointed out that China, Japan and South Korea are facing common geographic advantages and challenges of population aging. The establishment of the Alliance is an initiative that responds to the needs of the times and injects new momentum into inter-regional cooperation. He looked forward to building the Alliance as an important platform for the three countries to deepen cooperation, exchange ideas and promote development, in order to promote the prosperous development of the wellness and care industry and contribute to enhancing the health and well-being of the people in the region.

Chen Zhong delivered a welcoming speech

Wang Hongwei said that Zhejiang Province is implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), faithfully practicing the "Eight-Eight Strategy", and actively pushing forward high-level opening up to the outside world and the construction of a strong province engaged in high-level opening up. China, Japan and South Korea have accumulated rich and unique experience in the field of wellness and care. The Department of Foreign Affairs of Zhejiang Provincial People's Government is willing to make joint efforts with the members of the Alliance to promote the deepening of local exchanges and cooperation between the three countries with the health and elderly care business as a link.

Wang Hongwei delivered a speech

Lan Jingjing emphasized that the wellness and care industry is a key area concerning people's well-being and an important pillar industry to cope with the challenges of global population aging. China, Japan and South Korea, with their geographic proximity and cultural commonalities, have extensive potential for cooperation and a deep foundation in this field. She hopes that the Alliance will deepen the integration of industry and academia and the integration science and academia through multi-form, multi-channel and multi-carrier exchanges and cooperation, exploring new modes of cooperation in this field, so as to set a model for international cooperation.

Lan Jingjing delivered a speech

On behalf of the Japanese side, Professor Shoji Nishimura from the Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, expressed his heartfelt congratulations on the establishment of the Alliance and the holding of the ceremony. He pointed out that the establishment of the Alliance provides an important opportunity to deepen the cooperation among the three countries, and took the joint research being promoted by the Waseda University as an example to put forward the idea of combining the principles of traditional medicine with the modern evidence-based methodology to develop a model of recreation and wellness care. He emphasized that this exploration not only fits the current global trend in the development of recreation and wellness care, but also reflects the common determination to shape a better future for the industry.

Professor Shoji Nishimura delivered a speech

Park Su-jin, Dean of International Exchange Institute, Sehan University, shared Korea's experience in coping with rapid aging and the growth of chronic diseases on behalf of the Korean side. She introduced Korea's practices in building a care service system, improving the health insurance system, introducing telemedicine technology, and upgrading smart healing technology. She hopes that the Alliance will serve as a platform to bring together the wisdom of China, Japan and South Korea and the world to promote the deep integration of academic research results and social practice experiences, thus contributing to the well-being of regional and global health.

Park Su-jin delivered a speech

The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Wu Chengliang

The first board of directors of the Sino-Japan-Korea Alliance for Wellness & Care Industry consists of nearly 40 members, including the ZCMU, Zhejiang Elderly Service Association, Cosmos Group Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Hospital, Waseda University, the Jikei Group, Social Welfare Corporation Sunpu Aoikai, Japan-China Senior Citizens Welfare Association, Sehan University, Jungwon University, Kyungwoon University, E-Land Welfare Foundation, Jindo County Elderly Welfare Center, etc.

The event also witnessed the release of three cooperative achievements jointly realized by ZCMU, Zhejiang Elderly Service Association, Cosmos Group Co., Ltd. and Social Welfare Corporation Sunpu Aoikai. These achievements focus on talent cultivation and industry-academia integration in the field of wellness and care, reflecting the substantial progress made by the Alliance in promoting the synergistic development of academia and industry. The inauguration ceremony was followed by the 2-day 2024 International Academic Conference on Wellness & Care.

The establishment of the Alliance marks a new chapter in the cooperation among the three countries in wellness & care. This innovative practice deeply implements the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping's Thought on Diplomacy, and actively responds to the national strategic plan of deepening the integration of industry and academia and expanding the opening of academia to the outside world. The Alliance not only integrates resources from various parties and provides a new mode of cooperation to meet the challenges of global population aging, but also promotes the integration of industry and academia in the field of great health to a higher level, and helps the development of regional and global health.