On November 29, 2024, China announced a significant policy shift allowing the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in several key regions. The plan, reported by the state news agency Xinhua, includes cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as the island province of Hainan. This initiative aims to enhance the domestic healthcare landscape by attracting international medical resources, although it explicitly excludes traditional Chinese medicine facilities and the acquisition of public hospitals. The announcement was made by four government departments, including the National Health Commission and the Ministry of Commerce.
