Boao Lecheng pilot zone accelerates opening-up of medical sector

Photo shows the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in south China's Hainan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration)

The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in south China's Hainan Province—China's "testing ground" for the opening-up of the medical sector—is seizing the opportunities brought by the upcoming island-wide independent customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port. The pilot zone is working to turn international collaboration into new momentum for high-quality healthcare development, writing a new chapter of openness and innovation under the Healthy China Initiative.

At the Boao Hope City Ever Lasting International Innovation Medicine Exhibition, leading pharmaceuticals and medical devices from around the world are on display, underscoring the pilot zone's deep partnerships with more than 180 pharmaceutical and device companies across 20 countries and regions.

A guide introduces the implantable left ventricular assist system at the Boao Hope City Ever Lasting International Innovation Medicine Exhibition in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in south China's Hainan Province, Nov. 19, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Xu Jingwen)

"Following island-wide independent customs operations, zero-tariff coverage will rise from 21 percent to 74 percent, creating strong synergies with our special medical policies," said Fu Zhu, deputy director of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration, in an interview with People's Daily Online.

"We've already introduced 525 specially licensed pharmaceuticals and medical devices, with 21 fast-tracked to market through real-world evidence studies," Fu noted. "With island-wide independent customs operations, import costs for international pharmaceuticals and medical devices will fall even further, helping reduce patients' financial burden," Fu added.

At Hainan Hospital of Ruijin Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, multiple international innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices have been rapidly adopted thanks to the zone's institutional support. During this year's China International Import Expo, the hospital received a donation of innovative non-factor hemophilia drugs from Pfizer, accelerating their application under the pilot zone's policies and offering a model for improving domestic access to global medical innovations.

The Yiling Life Care Center, located in the pilot zone, is exploring diverse rehabilitation models, including programs combining traditional Chinese medicine therapies with international rehabilitation concepts—an approach that has attracted many international visitors.

According to Fu, the pilot zone received 413,700 medical tourist visits in 2024, up 36.8 percent year on year, with visitors coming from Canada, Dubai, Indonesia, Spain, Russia, Laos, and elsewhere. Their per capita spending exceeded 12,000 yuan (about $1,697.19).

Photo shows an interior view of an international ward of Hainan Hospital of Ruijin Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Jingwen)

With visa-free entry for passport holders from 86 countries following island-wide independent customs operations, the pilot zone's international brand of "healthcare plus tourism" is expected to gain even greater influence. A rehabilitation research cooperation platform jointly established with overseas medical institutions is also bolstering cross-border exchange and technology transfer.

Global pharmaceutical leaders, including Merck and Novartis, have already registered companies or foundations within the pilot zone.

Looking ahead, Fu said the institutional advantages to be unlocked by island-wide independent customs operations, such as streamlined capital flows and optimized investment access, will continue to materialize, attracting more international innovative resources to the pilot zone. It is prioritizing efforts in areas such as aggregation, utilization, and R&D of innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices, as well as real-world data applications, with the goal of becoming a world-class international medical tourism destination by 2030.

A patient experiences traditional Chinese medicine massage therapy at the Yiling Life Care Center in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in south China's Hainan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration)