VOL.49 NO.46 NOV. 16, 2006 TAKINGTAKING THETHE PULSEPULSE OFOF TRADITIONALTRADITIONAL CHINESECHINESE MEDICINEMEDICINE BEIJING1 REVIEW JULYJUNE 3,26, 2003 2003OLYMPICS COULD SAVE FOLK ARTBEIJING INDUSTR REVIEW JANUARY Y19,1 2006 VOL. 49 NO. 46 CONTENTS NOV. 16, 2006 2 EDITOR’S DESK 2 The Medicine War 3 PEOPLE & POINTS 4 WEEKLY WATCH 10 WORLD 10 A Steady Course Midterm elections results unlikely to affect Sino-U.S. relations 12 Where Does U.S. Policy Go From Here? Democrats’ control could mean bigger focus on diplomacy 14 Moving Closer China-Africa Forum sees big deals signed and strategic 18 partnerships take root COVER STORY Hotly debated at home, but 16 VIEWPOINT flourishing globally. Traditional Chinese 16 Coming Up to Speed Medicine (TCM) is standing at the edge of a The quandry of reforming state-owned assets cliff, according to Chinese public opinion. 18 NATION Calls to have the ancient healing methods 18 East or West: Which Is Best? scrapped are gaining momentum. Yet Traditional Chinese Medicine finds Chinese herbal medicine is a multi-billion international markets 22 To Your Health dollar industry internationally. It’s an Herbal cuisine a popular option interesting scenario. TCM is viewed as a 24 Ancient Cures for Modern Pets accumulation of experience, not science, yet Traditional Chinese Medicine healing for thousands of years it has been the basis four-legged friends 26 A New Taste of the Countryside of patient care throughout the East. Having Rural Xinjiang becoming tourist hotspot withstood the test of time, TCM is bound 28 The Winds of Change to weather the current domestic storm—or Ancient nomads in northern China adapts to is it? 21st century 30 Traditional Crafts Highlighting Olympics 40 Chinese Media Morphosis Communication industry is turning a fast buck 34BUSINESS 42 State of the Market 34 Stabilizing China’s Finances Government targets discount exporters 46FORUM 36 Re t a i l e r s Reshuffle 46 Will Real Name Registration Harm Mobile Big ret a i l e r s gob ble up local cha i n s Phone User’s Privacy? 38 Dotcom Ven t u re r Entrepreneur living the American dream in 48 INTERVIEW China 48 ASEAN Good for Globalization Beijing Review (ISSN 1000-9140) is published weekly for US$64.00 per year by Cypress Book (U.S.) Co., Inc., 360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080. Periodical Postage Paid at South San Francisco, CA 94080. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Beijing Review, Cypress Book (U.S.) Co., Inc., 360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080. EDITOR’S DESK The Medicine War A News Wee k l y Published Since 1958 ht t p : // ww w .b j r evi e w.c o m . c n By ZHANG ZHIPING E-mail: [email protected] President & Editor in Chief: Wang Gangyi hile the rest of the wor ld is embracing trad i t i o n a l Vice President: Qi Wengong Chinese medicine (TCM), in its birthplace it is facing a Associate Editors in Chief: Li Jianguo Huang Wei Wli fe - o r- d e a th situati o n . Executive Editor: Zhou Jianxiong An Internet petition to rem o ve traditional medicine from Assistant Executive Editors: Yao Bin, Ding Zhitao, Ch i n a ’ s healthcare system has brought the predicament into the Zhang Zhiping, Francisco Little spotlight. Its vanishing legac y, the probl e m a tic situation of both Editorial Administrators: Li Ning, Shi Bosen Senior Consultant: Shao Haiming TCM practices and the medicine market, and its res t ri c t e d Opinion Editor: Yao Bin de velopment due to the prevalence of Wes t e r n medicine World Editor: Ding Zhitao Nation Editor: Tang Qinghua remind us that TCM is in danger in China and something mus t Business Editors: Yu Shujun, Lan Xinzhen be done to save it. Editorial Consultants: Linda Mattson, The issue of abolishing TCM is not a new topic. About 100 Matt Young Staff Reporters: Tang Yuankai, Feng Jianhua, yea r s ago, when Wes t e r n scientific concepts wer e introduced to Zan Jifang, Ding Ying, Ni Yanshuo, China, some Chinese alrea d y insisted on eliminating the use of Ding Wenlei, Wang Jun, Yan Wei, Tan Wei, Li Li, Liu Yu, Liu Yunyun, tr aditional medicine. The patt e r n of judging TCM from the Yin Pumin, Jing Xiaolei, Pan Xiaoqiao pe rs p e c t i ve of Wes t e r n crit e r ia still exists in today’ s argu m e n t . Photo Editor: Wang Xiang With its deep roots in Chinese culture, the millennia-old Photographers: Jiang Xiaoying, Wei Yao Art: Li Shigong tr aditional medicine has developed its own rules and system. Design & Layout: Xu Husheng, Hou Lina, The Chinese people have long benefited from traditional medi- Wang Yajuan Proof Reading: Qin Wenli ci n e . TCM is more than just techn o l o gy, and it invol v es the tra- Online Editor: Li Zhenzhou ditional philosophy of pres e r ving health and the way the Advertising Director: Cheng Guangyan Chinese perce i ve things. Distribution Directors: Wang Weiwei, Pan Changqing TCM, whi c h on the surface seems out of date and even is Human Resources: Zhang Xiaoli International Cooperation: Pan Shuangqin deemed to be a pseudoscience, does have certain magic a l Legal Counsel: Yue Cheng ef fects in dealing with some medical prob lems, especially viral North America Bureau in f ections and chr onic diseases. The four proc e d u r es of TCM Chief: Wang Yanjuan di ag n o s i s — o b s e rv i n g , smelling, consulting and pulse-taking, Reporter: Chen Wen Tel/Fax: 001-201-792-0334 while limited in their functions, are used pretty effec t i vel y by E-mail: [email protected] some vet e r an prac t i t i o n e r s. General Editorial Office Tel: 86-10-68996252 TCM and Wes t e r n medicine, while two differ ent systems, Fax: 86-10-68326628 both have the same objective: human health. To measure trad i - English Edition tional medicine by the crit e r ia of Wes t e r n medicine is unscien- Tel: 86-10-68996259 Advertising Department ti f ic and even rid i c u l o u s . Tel: 86-10-68995813, 68326072 Fu rt h e rm o r e, even though it is an age-old tradition, TCM is Fax: 86-10-68329398 E-mail: [email protected] ahead of the time in some of its concepts, theories and method- Distribution Department ol o gy. The r e has been a growing interna tional interest in and Tel: 86-10-68310644, 68995807 st u d y of TCM. Its philosophy and “eco-medicine” concept can Fax: 86-10-68328738 E-mail: [email protected] be used as a strong wea pon to combat worl d wide medical Published every Thursday by cr ises. The r e is no reason to disregar d this traditional medical BEIJING REVIEW, 24 Baiwanzhuang Lu, le gac y. To discard these medical traditions is to abandon the Beijing 100037, China. Overseas Distributor: China International Book Trading quintessence of a nation. No one is willing to see that happ e n . Corporation (Guoji Shudian), P. O. BOX 399, The petition case is sending a war ning signal. It is urgent to Beijing 100044, China Tel: 86-10-68413849 Fax: 86-10-68412166 im p r ove the management of TCM to get it out of its curren t E-mail: [email protected] pr edicament. The diminishing of TCM hospitals is att ri b uted to Website: http://www.cnokay.com the poor cultural envi r onment in whi c h they operate . The r e General Distributor for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan: Peace Book Co. Ltd. will be no inheritance or innovation of a culture if it doesn’t 17/Fl, Paramount Bldg, 12 Ka Yip St, Chai Wan, HK win gen e r al rec o gnition from the people. The re fo r e, we need to Tel: 852-28046687 Fax: 852-28046409 po p u l a ri z e education in Chinese traditional culture and TCM SUBSCRIPTION RATES (1 Year) al i k e to integrate the ancient medical practice into our modern Australia........................................................................AUD 135.20 society and to foster a favor able envi r onment for its devel o p - New Zealand .................................................................NZD 144.00 ■ UK ....................................................................................GBP 48.10 me n t . U.S.A. ................................................................................US$ 75.30 Canada ..........................................................................CAD 114.40 Ha ve a comment, complaint or question? Beijing Revi e w welcomes your fee d b a c k. Printed in China by E-mail our editorial team at co n t a c t @ b j r ev i e w.c o m . c n or write to us at Beijing Revi e w, BEIJING LEEFUNG-ASCO CHANGCHENG PRINTERS CO. LTD. 24 Baiwanzhuang Lu, Beijing 100037, China. Letters may be edited for length or content. 2 BEIJING REVIEW NOVEMBER 16, 2006 Time’s Up for Saddam PEOPLE & POINTS Sentenced to death by hangin g . That ’ s the “WTO membership also helps No vember 5 ver dict of an Iraqi court on Viet Nam refine its reform Sa d dam Hussein for his part in the 1982 killing of 148 Shiites in the city of Dujail.