A foreign vlogger, plagued by chronic stomachaches, traveled all the way to China for medical treatment due to the inefficiency of healthcare services in his home country. Recently, similar viral videos on social media have sparked widespread discussion about foreigners flocking to China for medical care.
Are more and more foreigners choosing to access medical services in China? Why would they travel long distances for treatment instead of seeking care locally? And what impact does this trend have on domestic patients’ access to healthcare? To address these public concerns, reporters from Xinhua Insight interviewed relevant authorities and experts.
Growing Numbers but Small Proportion
“My nose isn’t stuffy anymore, and I feel so much better!” Recently, at the “International Medical Service Open Day” event held by Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), 68-year-old Canadian Franco Caputo experienced auricular acupuncture of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
In 2023, Franco received treatment for intestinal polyps, gastroesophageal reflux, and Helicobacter pylori infection at the International Medical Department of PUMCH. Since then, he has traveled to China annually for follow-up medical care. He noted that while Canada has a family doctor system, patients often face long waiting times, and treatment outcomes are not always satisfactory.
Stories of foreigners traveling thousands of miles to China for medical treatment—whether to find relief from chronic gastritis or to get an MRI scan more quickly—have been frequently reported online lately. But is there really a “boom” of foreign patients coming to China for healthcare?
Responsible persons from several hospitals told reporters that based on their institutions’ diagnosis and treatment data, the number of foreign patients currently accounts for a small proportion of the total patient population but has shown a growing trend. As China continues to expand its visa-free travel network, the number of foreign tourists seeking emergency medical treatment during their trips has also increased.
“Compared with previous years, the number of foreign patients at our hospital’s International Medical Department has risen, with a particularly noticeable growth since 2024,” said Tian Zhuang, Director of the International Medical Department (Dongdan Campus) of PUMCH.
A relevant person in charge of the International Medical Center at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University introduced that although the overall number of foreign patients at the hospital remains small, it is growing rapidly. These patients mainly come from Russia, Singapore, the United States, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, and other countries.
Hao Siguo, academic leader of the Department of Hematology at Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, stated that since a new drug for treating relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma was approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration in 2024, the Chinese mainland has attracted 11 patients from overseas or Hong Kong, Macao regions—4 cases in 2024 and 7 cases in 2025.
The 2024 China International Medical Service Industry Development Report released by the International Medical Service Professional Committee of the Chinese Hospital Association shows that according to incomplete statistics, 850 medical institutions in 57 cities across China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) provide international medical services.
Unique Advantages in Specialized Fields Boost Attractiveness
Journalists learned through research that foreign patients seeking medical care in China include those working long-term in the country, those traveling specifically for treatment, and those coming to experience TCM therapies.
Insiders believe that a key reason behind the growing number of foreigners coming to China for medical treatment is that China’s healthcare services have unique advantages in certain specialized fields.
A responsible person from the Medical Administration Department of the National Health Commission pointed out that China has accumulated rich clinical experience and achieved leading technical proficiency in some medical sub-specialties. Moreover, the costs of advanced treatment technologies and drugs such as proton therapy and targeted drugs are lower than those in developed countries.
A Middle Eastern patient was recommended by a U.S. doctor to seek treatment at a hospital in China; the parents of a Polish child decided to come to a hospital in Shanghai after learning about the hospital’s strengths in cardiothoracic surgery through an international database... Journalists found through interviews that difficult and complicated diseases such as tumors, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders have become the main treatment needs of some foreign patients coming to China.
In addition, as TCM gains wider international recognition, therapeutic techniques such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and tuina, as well as some characteristic TCM medicines, have become increasingly popular among foreign patients.
Wu Qunli, Director of the Department of TCM at PUMCH, cited an example: drawn to TCM’s holistic approach and treatment based on syndrome differentiation, some patients with metabolic syndrome who suffer from symptoms such as numbness, coldness, pain in hands and feet, excessive sweating, and insomnia seek TCM herbal medicine and acupuncture treatments while traveling in China.
Liu Xinyan, Director of the International Medical Department at Guang’anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, introduced that the most popular medical services among foreign patients at Guang’anmen Hospital focus on fields such as tumors, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine and metabolic disorders, and rheumatic immune diseases. In Suifenhe, Heilongjiang Province, Russian patients prefer to receive TCM treatment for cervical and lumbar pain. In Sanya Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Hainan Province, foreigners are keen to participate in TCM health preservation tourism programs for wellness treatments.
It is reported that Beijing has released two batches of 40 TCM international medical tourism service packages, providing foreign nationals with TCM services featuring clear treatment plans, predictable curative effects, and estimable treatment durations.
Steady Development to Achieve Win-Win Outcomes for Both Domestic and Foreign Patients
With the deepening of China’s opening-up, the allure of “eating in China”, “traveling in China”, and “seeking medical care in China” has grown among foreign friends. However, some people have expressed concerns: will foreign patients coming to China for medical treatment squeeze domestic medical resources?
According to relevant national policies, public hospitals should provide international medical services on the premise of ensuring basic medical services. The Guiding Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Pilot Reforms of Public Hospital Comprehensive Reform stipulates that the scale of special medical services provided by public hospitals should be controlled, with such services accounting for no more than 10% of the total medical services.
Experts from multiple hospitals told reporters that doctors ensure the completion of basic medical services before conducting international medical diagnosis and treatment work. Foreign patients receiving treatment at international medical departments pay through commercial insurance or out-of-pocket, and do not occupy domestic medical insurance funds.
A responsible person from the Medical Administration Department of the National Health Commission stated that after years of deepening reforms, the basic medical service system with public medical institutions as the mainstay has become more stable. On this basis, the development of international medical services by public hospitals helps enrich the supply of medical resources and serves as a valuable supplement to basic medical services.
Experts from the Chinese Hospital Association believe that the comprehensive development of international medical service platforms can feed back into public hospitals. For instance, advanced concepts and operational experience explored in international medical services can be used for reference, and the revenue generated can be invested in expanding the supply of basic medical services.
In addition, China has allowed pilot programs for establishing wholly foreign-owned hospitals in nine provinces and cities, which will better meet the diversified medical service needs of both foreign nationals and domestic residents.
