Leveraging the Strength of the Belt and Road Initiative to Enhance Overseas Presence

By SUN LI

FOUNDED in 1669， Beijing Tong Ren Tang boasts a history of 350 years. The time-honored brand has been operating overseas for 26 years， and established 149 retail terminals in 28 countries and regions beyond Chinas mainland throughout five continents. The Beijing Tong Ren Tang trademark has been legally registered in 100 countries and regions， and over 30 million patients have been diagnosed and treated abroad. The company has become a model for Chinese enterprises to venture into overseas operations.

International Certifications

In the process of promoting internationalization， Beijing Tong Ren Tang has won international recognition for its product quality. Its production line has passed GMP certification in Hong Kong， Japan， and Australia， as well as the Muslim Halal certification and Israels Kosher certification； and in 2016， Tong Ren Tangs tablet product line in Beijing passed the EU GMP certification， becoming one of the few Chinese enterprises accredited by the EU authorities. At the beginning of 2019， the Beijing Tong Ren Tang Yufeng Ningxin tablet was licensed in the EU as a pharmaceutical. Its first production and R&D base outside the Chinese mainland， built in Hong Kong， passed the ISO 22000 and HACCP certification of the highest international standards.

Cultural Marketing

Traditional Chinese medicine is an important part of Chinese traditional culture and the quintessence of the Chinese nation. In order to help overseas consumers understand it， each store in Tong Ren Tang is not only an economic and commercial entity， but also a dissemination center of Chinese medicinal culture. According to their specific conditions， the stores of the brand establish museums， exhibition rooms， or cultural corners to introduce traditional Chinese medicine. Staff members teach Chinese shadow boxing and eight trigrams boxing to local residents， hold open lectures on traditional Chinese medicine， and offer free health services， disseminating Chinese culture through a series of audio-visual means to enhance consumer interest.

Within two years， Tong Ren Tangs clients in South Africa steadily rose to over 10，000. The people who come to seek medical advice include not only ordinary people， but also celebrities. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela， former wife of Nelson Mandela， was treated by a Tong Ren Tang doctor while she was in a wheelchair. Following treatment by the doctor through acupuncture and a hot compress， she was able to stand up and walk again. Afterwards， Chinese managers arranged for doctors of Tong Ren Tang to extend her treatment to twice or thrice a week. Her legs recovered quickly， and in the end she was able to walk without crutches or wheelchairs.

Presence in Major International Events

In recent years， Tong Ren Tang， as a messenger of traditional Chinese medicine， has increased its presence in major international activities. It took an active part in the 2018 Silk Road Business Summit （Zhangjiajie， China）， the Traditional Chinese Medicine along the Belt and Road hosted by the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies， the second and third China- Central and Eastern European Countries “16+1”Capital Mayors Forum， the second Chinese Culture Festival in Cyprus， and other activities to showcase its overseas development， garnering the attention of countless fans worldwide.

During the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation， dozens of overseas reporters went to the stores of Tong Ren Tang to learn about the time-honored brands history and culture. Tong Ren Tangs long history and fruitful overseas development achievements have been recognized by the international community.

Beijing Tong Ren Tang aspires to achieve its goal of making Tong Ren Tang medicine and treatment accessible wherever there is a demand for health products. The enterprise will continue to increase foreign investment， deepen cooperation with all countries and regions along the Belt and Road， and actively explore the development mode that covers the whole industrial chain， making new and greater contributions to the health of the people of the world.