KARACHI: Hunan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, People’s Republic of China signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi and Zainab Panjwani Memorial Hospital (ZPMH), Karachi. The MoU aims to setup ‘Pak-China Ethnomedicine Research Center’ in ICCBS, to carry out cooperation in safety and effective estimation, standards research and herbs farming. This centre would also provide platform for Chinese medicine research in science and marketing. According to MoU, the three parties are planning to set up a Chinese medicine policlinic in Zainab Panjwani Memorial Hospital, a non-profit organisation of Dr Punjwani Memorial Trust, to develop Chinese medicine clinical diagnostics and treatment. Hunan Anbang Pharmaceutical Co Ltd also plans to establish a pharmaceutical company at the ICCBS, Pakistan. A senior official of the ICCBS said that the MoU was signed in a special ceremony held at Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi on Wednesday. Furong distinguished Prof Dr Wei Wang, ICCBS Director Prof Dr M Iqbal Choudhary and Zainab Panjwani Memorial Hospital Co-Director Dr Khalid Shafi signed the MoU on behalf of their institutions. Dr Jianhua Huang, Vice-director TCM and Ethnomedicine Innovation and Development Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine (HUCM), Dr SB Ojha of ZPMH and other Chinese and Pakistani officials were also present on the occasion. Prof. Dr Wei Wang praised the research and academic facilities at the ICCBS and said that this agreement was made to enhance the training, cultivation, and communications of health professionals. The MoU will promote the cooperation between Hunan University of Chinese Medicine and ICCBS for faculty exchange and scholarship programmes. Prof Iqbal Choudhary said that this agreement aims to enhance the Chinese medicine clinical cooperation between the two countries, and develop relevant Chinese medicine projects in Karachi. As per the agreement, areas of collaboration between both the institutions include the exchange of appointed the adjunct faculty, research scholars; and joint execution of publications, research project, supervision students, he added. He said this agreement will be in effect for a period of five years from the date of execution and may be extended by mutual agreement in writing by both the parties.