The statement said that UM and HLJUCM held a plaque unveiling ceremony on the UM campus to mark the establishment of the Joint Laboratory for Quality Certification and Product Innovation of Chinese Medicines in Heilongjiang.

Heilongjiang is the nation’s northernmost province, with remote mountain ranges and a flat interior plain. It’s named for the Heilong (“Black Dragon”) River, bordering Russia.

The inauguration signals deeper collaboration between Macau and Heilongjiang in research related to quality certification and product innovation in Chinese medicine, the statement noted. 

UM Vice Rector Xu Jian, according to the statement, said that UM remains committed to promoting Chinese medicine research, adding that the new joint laboratory will further integrate research and industrial resources in both Macau and Heilongjiang, contributing to the “high-quality development” of the Chinese medicine industry. 

Ning Xia, representing the vice president of HLJUCM, said that the laboratory will support quality improvement, product innovation, and help align research outcomes with international standards, the statement noted. 

The joint laboratory will focus on developing quality standard systems for Chinese medicinal materials and proprietary Chinese medicines, as well as conducting research and development on key testing technologies, the statement said, adding that it will also work on creating high value-added products and exploring pathways for international certification. 

The statement added that the laboratory aims to promote mutual recognition between Heilongjiang medicine standards and relevant technical specifications in Macau and overseas, while exploring a collaborative development model spanning research and development, certification, and market application. 

The statement concluded that the joint laboratory strives to strengthen Macau-Heilongjiang cooperation and advance Chinese medicine development through research, innovation, and international quality certification efforts. 

This handout photo provided by the University of Macau (UM) on Tuesday shows Vice Rector Xu Jian addressing the opening ceremony of its newly joint laboratory in conjunction with the Heilongjiang Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences’ (HLJUCM) on that day in the public university.