Amid the "China Travel" trend, the number of international travelers visiting China continues to increase. Many international visitors are now turning their attention to China's efficient and distinctive healthcare system. From its advanced modern medical services and the global appeal of traditional Chinese medicine to the growing popularity of medical tourism, "Chinese Hospitals" has become a trending topic online, serving as a new option for many international patients.
In light of this, the Global Times is launching a three-part series titled "Healing in China," which will explore the various aspects of how the country's healthcare system is attracting patients from around the world and gradually transforming into a popular global destination for medical services. This is the third installment in the series.
As the "China Travel" trend continues to draw international attention, a growing number of foreign visitors are discovering a new dimension of the country - its thriving healthcare system.
From the bustling hospitals of Beijing and Shanghai to the tropical "special medical zone" in South China's Hainan Province, foreign patients are becoming an increasingly common sight. While many come for sightseeing and "city walk" tours, a rising segment of international travelers are now seeking out China's efficient and distinctive medical services.
Amid the rapid expansion of the global medical tourism market, which has long been led by countries such as Japan, Thailand and Singapore, China is emerging as a strong new contender.
With policy innovations such as visa-free policies, pilot programs for international hospitals, and dedicated medical tourism zones, the country is building momentum as a destination for high-quality, cross-border healthcare.
Meanwhile, local governments across the country are actively introducing supportive policies to promote medical tourism as a new growth driver within the tourism sector.
"Medical services are a key component of cross-border trade in services, and an important way for people from different countries to experience another society and culture," Liang Huaixin, a researcher at the Institute of National Security and Governance at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times. "This not only allows people in neighboring countries to access China's advanced healthcare, but also promotes industry-level cooperation and fosters mutual understanding between peoples."
'They don't feel like hospitals'
Once known for hosting the Boao Forum for Asia, the coastal town of Boao in eastern Hainan is now gaining global attention for another reason - medical tourism.
Just 15 minutes from the local high-speed railway station, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone emerges like a futuristic city, lined with sleek, high-tech hospitals, rehabilitation centers and research institutes. Approved by the State Council in 2013, it is the country's only special medical zone on the southern tropical island of Hainan, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Today, more than 30 medical institutions have established operations in the pilot zone, including top-tier hospitals from Shanghai and East China's Shandong Province, as well as renowned healthcare providers from China and abroad.
Drawing upon its special policy advantages, the pilot zone has become a key gateway for the entry of global medicines and medical devices not yet approved elsewhere in China, according to the pilot zone.
The zone has developed a full-chain international medical tourism model - offering everything from advanced screening and treatment to wellness, rehabilitation, and cultural experiences.
Services include complex disease management, anti-aging therapies, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and personalized checkups. High-end patients can also enjoy Chinese cultural experiences such as guqin playing, incense ceremonies, and calligraphy, according to the pilot zone's administration.
Patients come from diverse regions, including Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and North America. Services are offered to both individual visitors and organized medical tourism groups.
"The hospitals here don't feel like hospitals, but they feel more like scenic attractions," said Novi Basuki, an Indonesian vlogger, after visiting a wellness center in June, the China News Agency reported.
Lina Panovkina from Russia experienced TCM diagnosis in Lecheng. "The service was very professional," she told the Global Times. "The integration of traditional and modern medicine is truly impressive."
Romualdo Ballovera Zamora, a foreign employee at a Lecheng-based medical institution, highlighted the strong interest in TCM from international visitors.
"Foreign visitors are especially curious about TCM. They've seen cupping and acupuncture in movies and want to try it themselves as part of the cultural experience," he told the Global Times. "The feedback has been very positive. Many said they felt like VIPs. Some even brought me souvenirs from their country when they left - it really touched me."
"China combines thousands of years of TCM with world-class modern technology. That's what makes it an ideal place for medical tourism," Zamora said.
In December 2024, a medical tourism group from Indonesia visited Lecheng and received a full range of services from checkups to rehabilitation and cosmetic care, with per capita spending exceeding 12,000 yuan ($1,650), Xinhua reported.
A mega medical city
Behind the growing appeal of China's medical tourism is the country's solid clinical expertise and increasingly open attitude toward international cooperation.
For the Lecheng pilot zone, this strength is matched with unique institutional advantages. As a special medical zone, the pilot zone enjoys fast-track access to international medical innovations through special permissions for clinical use, research, and cross-border partnerships. This allows the zone to offer advanced therapies and technologies well ahead of other parts of the country, according to the pilot zone.
So far, the pilot zone has collaborated with over 180 pharmaceutical and device companies from more than 20 countries and regions, bringing in more than 470 drugs and devices not yet approved for general use in China. Many of these offer new options for patients with rare or complex conditions, according to the administration of the pilot zone.
One such patient is Alexander (pseudonym), a Greek engineer who has lived in Haikou, Hainan Province, for years. In August 2024, he was diagnosed with glioma, a rare and dangerous form of brain cancer.
After exploring treatment options in the US and Europe, Alexander ultimately returned to China for surgery at a top hospital in Beijing. The operation removed over 90 percent of the tumor, which he described as "a miracle."
His search for follow-up treatment brought him to Lecheng in Hainan. There, he became one of the first patients in Asia to access Vorasidenib, an experimental drug newly approved in the US for his condition.
"I was afraid of the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy," Alexander said. "But I read about this new drug and felt it could give me a better chance. I'm lucky China made it available so quickly."
Vorasidenib had only recently been allowed into clinical use in the Lecheng pilot zone through a special import policy for urgently needed medicines. For Alexander, this meant access to cutting-edge treatment that wasn't even available in his home country.
"From the moment we arrived, everything was smooth. The staff were kind, the equipment was modern, and it felt hopeful," he said. "And most importantly, my condition has remained stable."
For Hu Lu, deputy general manager of the Hainan Boao Lecheng Cultural Industry Development Co, stories like Alexander's reflect the pilot zone's growing role on the global medical map.
"We aim to make Lecheng a global window into Chinese healthcare," she said. "That means not just bringing in international resources, but building a complete service system that integrates treatment, recovery, wellness and tourism."
With international patient numbers rising, Hu said the pilot zone is expanding its overseas outreach in Southeast Asia, North America and Russian-speaking countries, while also developing multilingual support, custom checkup plans and cross-border medical cooperation platforms.
Under a development plan for Lecheng issued in November 2019, by 2025, medical techniques, medical devices and pharmaceuticals used or developed at the pilot zone will be on a par with international best standards. By 2030, the area will become a world-class medical tourism destination and medical technology innovation center, according to the plan, Xinhua reported.
A new trend
A foreign visitor tries robotic acupuncture at a digital trade expo in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province. Photo: VCG
A foreign visitor tries robotic acupuncture at a digital trade expo in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province. Photo: VCG
While Lecheng represents a concentrated model of China's international medical tourism ambitions, similar efforts are gaining traction across the country. From top-tier public hospitals to regional pilot zones, more Chinese cities are rolling out their own medical tourism strategies - combining advanced clinical capabilities with localized cultural and tourism resources.
According to Xie Yijiong, a supervisor at the Institute of National Governance at Peking University, international medical tourism is being carefully developed under a "pilot-first" approach.
"It reflects a country's comprehensive strength and global competitiveness in healthcare," Xie told the Global Times. "China's strategy is to expand cross-border services in a planned, orderly way - while always ensuring access for domestic patients."
In recent years, major cities have unveiled targeted medical tourism initiatives.
Beijing, for instance, promoted its "Happy Life, Healthy Travel" campaign. In South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the city of Fangchenggang has become a top destination for patients from Vietnam, thanks to streamlined 15-minute customs clearance and full Vietnamese-language services, according to media reports.
Liang Huaixin, an associate professor at the University of International Business and Economics, said that cross-border medical services not only promote trade, but also foster mutual understanding between nations.
"We need to release more institutional momentum," Liang said, "by creating more international exchange platforms, streamlining cross-border procedures, and cultivating global medical talent and multilingual service teams."
Xie added that medical tourism also helps promote talent development within China.
"It encourages Chinese physicians to step onto the international stage," he said. "It also attracts overseas clinical experts to work here, further enhancing the global standing of China's healthcare sector."
