Kyle Freeman in the News: Healthcare in China

On 25 March, 2019, our International Business Advisory Manager, Kyle Freeman, spoke to South China Morning Post (SCMP) on healthcare in China. Specifically, investment regulations around foreign owned hospitals.

The news piece went on to be picked up by The Street, Times of News China, and other media platforms who jumped on the story.

A Background to Foreign Investment in China’s Healthcare System

Singapore’s largest private medical services operator, Raffles, recently told the foreign investment market to be patient when it comes to entering China’s healthcare market.

Having been one of the first to privately own a hospital in China, Raffles’ Chairman, Dr. Loo Choon Yong, was quick to spot the investment potential in an ageing, middle-class population. However, regulatory hurdles make foreign direct investment (FDI) in this sector a challenge at present.

Restriction on Wholly Foreign-Owned Hospitals

In response to restriction on foreign investment in health care, Kyle told SCMP that:

“Some fringe policies have been introduced to allow further foreign investment, but only in limited geographic areas, which could be considered pilot programmes, and they have had very limited actual implementation.”

Chongqing was the exception to the rule which allowed Raffles to take off. Its appeal to foreign investors through preferential policies and focus on economic transformation is likely to have been behind the support for foreign investment in this sector.

Get in Touch

If you would like to speak with Kyle or any of our China investment specialists, please drop us a message.

You can also access a wide range of business resources via our online library, Asiapedia, or by subscribing to carefully curated email alerts on Asia’s investment market and business events.