Meeting participants in awe of TCM's potential

With a deft flick of her fingers, an acupuncturist swiftly inserted a needle into the scalp of a patient suffering from insomnia. A faint squeak sounded as the needle pierced the skin, drawing gasps from onlookers.

Among those impressed by the doctor's skill at Xi'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was Abdullah Obaid Alanazi, supervisor general of technical affairs at Saudi Arabia's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine under the Ministry of Health.

"Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history, heritage and roots, so its modalities are recognized and evidence-based," he said during a hospital tour on the sidelines of the 8th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Health Ministers' Meeting, held on Monday in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.