Feng Hua (Rfishbox, Front), leader of the 19th Chinese medical team for Malta, demonstrates a treatment during a traditional Chinese medicine lecture in Siggiewi, Malta, on July 12, 2024. The 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) on Friday delivered a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lecture to elderly residents at the Siggiewi Day Centre in southern Malta. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

VALLETTA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) on Friday delivered a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lecture to elderly residents at the Siggiewi Day Centre in southern Malta.

During the lecture, Feng Hua, the team leader, taught attendees how to locate acupuncture points on the body and introduced acupuncture point massage methods, which generated great interest among the participants.

At the end of the event, the medical team members provided the elderly with specially made black plum tea and mung bean cakes, and made Chinese medicine mosquito repellent incense bags.

In his speech, Chen Guihua, counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Malta said that China and Malta have maintained long-term friendly cooperation in the field of health and wellness, expressing China's willingness to deepen cooperation and exchanges in this field with all sectors of Maltese society.

Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, parliamentary secretary for active ageing, noted in an interview with Xinhua that Maltese people, especially the elderly, have benefited from TCM. He expressed confidence that TCM would become even more popular in Malta and looked forward to stronger collaboration between the two countries in the health sector and beyond.

Siggiewi Mayor Julian Borg told Xinhua that despite differences in population and land area, Malta and China are cooperating closely and achieving excellent results. He hoped that cooperation at local level could be further strengthened in various areas such as medicine and culture.

Doris Borg, 68, praised the positive effects she experienced from acupuncture for her back pain treated by Chinese doctors in the past. She appreciated the introduction by the Chinese medical team of massage for elderly residents, finding it quite helpful.

Gloria Callus, 69, said she learned a lot from the TCM lecture and would practice the massage techniques at home according to the guidance of the Chinese doctors.

The MRCTCM was established by the Chinese and Maltese governments in 1994. To date, 19 Chinese medical teams comprising over 100 doctors have provided TCM treatments to approximately 250,000 Maltese patients.■

Elderly residents attend a traditional Chinese medicine lecture in Siggiewi, Malta, on July 12, 2024. The 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) on Friday delivered a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lecture to elderly residents at the Siggiewi Day Centre in southern Malta. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

Elderly residents attend a traditional Chinese medicine lecture in Siggiewi, Malta, on July 12, 2024. The 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) on Friday delivered a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lecture to elderly residents at the Siggiewi Day Centre in southern Malta. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

Feng Hua (Rear), leader of the 19th Chinese medical team for Malta, gives a traditional Chinese medicine lecture in Siggiewi, Malta, on July 12, 2024. The 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) on Friday delivered a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lecture to elderly residents at the Siggiewi Day Centre in southern Malta. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

Feng Hua (L), leader of the 19th Chinese medical team for Malta, demonstrates a treatment during a traditional Chinese medicine lecture in Siggiewi, Malta, on July 12, 2024. The 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) on Friday delivered a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lecture to elderly residents at the Siggiewi Day Centre in southern Malta. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

Elderly residents attend a traditional Chinese medicine lecture in Siggiewi, Malta, on July 12, 2024. The 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) on Friday delivered a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lecture to elderly residents at the Siggiewi Day Centre in southern Malta. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)