Strategic and Tactical Objectives Associated with the Continued United States-Chinese Military Acupuncture Exchanges: Outcomes of the 4th Exchange, September 2016

摘要

In 2008-2009, while still on active duty, Dr. Niemtzow received permission to accept an invitation to visit the Beijing University School of Acupuncture in China. This encounter subsequently paved the way for a series of exchanges with medical members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Figure 1 The exchange began at Beijing University, in 2009, when Dr. Niemtzow demonstrated Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA)1 to a group of faculty members and students. He later learned that physicians from the PLA were in the audience. Dr. Niemtzow was also invited to serve as a guest chairperson at an Asian academic discussion on acupuncture. Coupled with his prescient recommendation that BFA be part of a future Sino-American military exchange, teaching this technique at military hospitals in Beijing is what ultimately helped open the door to the establishment of a series of officially sanctioned, Sino-American Military Acupuncture Exchanges. Details of the four official exchanges are provided later in this Photoessay. The Sino-American relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world.2 The strong relationship that developed between U.S. and Chinese acupuncture physicians has proven to be one of the most important military to military relationships to date between the U.S. and Chinese militaries. For many reasons, it has long been recognized that promoting military medical exchanges between countries can help foster and maintain