What impressed Marcus Chan Chun-yin most during his trip to Sri Lanka was the ease in finding hospitals specializing in Ayurveda medicine. This is a traditional system of medicine that derives from the Indian subcontinent.

"It is different from Hong Kong where traditional Chinese medicine is recognized but no special hospital has been built for it," said Chan, a sophomore in medicine at the University of Hong Kong.

An island country in South Asia, Sri Lanka possesses a prominent geographic advantage as it connects Asia and Africa, as well as bridging the South Asian subcontinent. The nation's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe described Sri Lanka as the most important country in the Indian Ocean for China's Belt and Road Initiative during his state visit to Beijing in April.

The Ayurveda medicine practiced in Sri Lanka has a history of 3,000 years, which includes treatments like herbal formula, massage and yoga therapy. Today, the country has 62 Ayurvedic hospitals and 208 dispensaries, and over 3 million people seek treatment at these hospitals every year, according to Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine.

Chan and his four teammates went to the Sethsuwa Ayurveda Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka's commercial capital and largest city. They talked to the hospital's trained Ayurvedic practitioners and tried some herbal tea which was said to help a person's general well-being. According to Chan, it tasted like traditional Chinese herbal tea.

"Among the locals I've talked to, they all value Ayurvedic treatments. I think traditional medicine does help in some ways. But it is an empirical science that requires sophisticated practitioners.

"More study, such as on herbs, needs to be done in order to make traditional medicinal system more adaptable to the contemporary approach," Chan said.

He added that Hong Kong might learn from Sri Lanka to facilitate the traditional Chinese medicine's development. The first step was to have at least one Chinese medicine hospital.

Since 2013, the Hong Kong government has set out to build the city's first Chinese medicine hospital. So far, it has reserved a site in Tseung Kwan O.

Another thing that impressed Chan is the free universal healthcare provided by the Sri Lankan government. It covers more than 20 million Sri Lankans.

"The locals are proud when they introduce us to the free medical care they enjoy," Chan said.

Back in Hong Kong, Chan shared his experience with young people, and said the tour program helped in enhancing young people's understanding of the Belt and Road Initiative. But more importantly, it helps to improve China's overall image in the world.

"It is through person-to-person contact that misunderstandings are resolved and relations are strengthened. I hope the program will continue to run and more young people will participate," Chan added.

(HK Edition 08/15/2016 page7)