Jiahui Health Showcases China's Expanding Role in Global Medical Tourism at WTO Forum 2026

In a significant development for medical tourism, Dr. John K. Hsiang, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of Jiahui Health, highlighted China's emerging status as a key player in the global medical tourism landscape at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum 2026. During the session titled "Health Without Borders: Medical Tourism — Opportunities and Challenges in Services Trade," Dr. Hsiang was the only Chinese healthcare representative invited to share insights on China’s advancements in international medical services.

China's healthcare sector has witnessed remarkable growth in inbound medical tourism. According to Dr. Hsiang, the top hospitals in the country received around 1.28 million international patients in 2025, marking a staggering increase of 73.6% compared to just three years prior. Notably, 413,000 of these visits were made by patients traveling specifically for medical procedures. The surge in overseas patient inquiries at Jiahui Health has almost doubled year on year in the early part of 2026, reflecting heightened interest in China's medical services.

Several factors are driving this trend, including policy reforms aimed at facilitating medical travel and a robust acceleration in medical innovation. Presently, citizens from 57 countries benefit from China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy across 65 ports. Equally important is that China contributes to 33.7% of drugs currently in global development. This includes the recent approval of the world's first CAR-T therapy aimed at treating solid tumors, which has attracted numerous international patients eager to access groundbreaking treatments.

Highlighting the efficacy of China's healthcare system, Dr. Hsiang shared recent success stories from Jiahui Health. A patient from New Zealand with advanced gastric cancer became the first international recipient of the newly approved CAR-T therapy after traveling to Shanghai shortly after its introduction. Similarly, a U.S. patient suffering from non-small cell lung cancer sought treatment with ivonescimab—a novel bispecific antibody uniquely available in China—after consultations with specialists from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Dr. Hsiang asserted that Shanghai is strategically positioned as a gateway for global patients seeking innovative medical treatments. In 2025 alone, Jiahui Health recorded over 100,000 international outpatient visits and has been developing cross-border healthcare services. These initiatives include international insurance direct billing options, remote consultations, and multilingual patient coordination to better serve a diverse clientele.

Looking toward the future, Dr. Hsiang expressed a need for enhanced international collaboration regarding medical travel, including better visa facilitation and improved access to information about medical innovations. He emphasized the importance of regulatory discussions surrounding cross-border health data and telemedicine.

"Medical tourism sits at the intersection of healthcare, trade, and economic development," Dr. Hsiang commented. He believes that in the coming three to five years, China has the potential to emerge as a preeminent global destination for international medical care, further solidifying its status in the global health landscape.

As the world increasingly turns its attention to healthcare solutions, China's growth in medical tourism offers not just innovative treatments but also a glimpse into the future of healthcare accessibility on a global scale.