Special health zone becomes medical vanguard in south China

HAIKOU -- A special medical zone in south China's island province of Hainan is rising as a medical magnet as it seeks high-quality development in recent years.

On Wednesday, doctors performed a pancreas-related operation at the Ruijin-Hainan Hospital in the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone using a surgical system allowing robotic-assisted surgery through a single port.

"I think the operation makes great sense because it will benefit the general public by bringing more precision in future surgical operations," said Shen Baiyong, the professor who led the operation.

The operation is just one of the many successes recorded at the pilot zone.

Established in 2013 with the approval of the State Council, China's cabinet, the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone develops the related industries of international medical tourism, such as licensed medical treatment, health management, care rehabilitation, medical cosmetology, and anti-aging.

With favorable policies, the pilot zone aims to "gather international and domestic advanced medical tourism services and international cutting-edge medical scientific and technological achievements and to create a cluster region for international medical technology service," according to its official website.

In recent years, the pilot zone has established cooperative relations with international pharmaceutical device and drug manufacturers from many countries and regions.

The pilot zone recorded 189,000 medical tourist trips in 2022, up 48.5 percent year on year, official figures showed.

In 2020, China released a master plan to build the whole of Hainan Island into a globally influential and high-level free trade port by the middle of the century.