Facing the camera during an interview, Dr. Ye Gang, the chair of medical oncology department at Bo’ao Evergrande International Hospital said: “Everyone is welcome to come to Hainan. It’s a really a good place.” After working and living in Hainan for 3 years, these are no hollow words on his part. He truly means it. The work of developing Hainan into a free trade port has attracted many talented individuals to consider the island as a potential place to move to. Numerous foreign doctors moving to the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone of International Medical Tourism in Hainan  have been among those high level talents who have chosen to resettle here.  As with talents in other industries, they personally feel the potential which Hainan FTP policies will provide the medical industry.

Hainan Medical Industry Ushers in New Opportunities for Development

In October 2018, Bo’ao Evergrande International Hospital was set up in the Bo’ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (also known as “Hope City”). With more than 30 years experience working in the United States, Dr. Ye was invited to Hainan as a specialist in the field of oncology.

“The political and business environment created by the Free Trade Port’s relevant policies will allow more people to experience various kinds of medical treatment unavailable elsewhere in China. Combined with the island’s excellent natural environment," Dr. Ye said it was no hard choice to decide to come here. In particular, the policy advantages of the FTP allow "innovative foreign drugs and medical devices to be trialled by patients in China before they have formally entered the domestic market. Instead of the three to five years which it usually takes for approval, Hope City has the ability to give patients access as soon as relevant approvals happen overseas.” During the three years he has been at Bo’ao Evergrande International Hospital, the hospital has been responsible for successively introducing a variety of medical drugs and equipment including—in 2020—the novel cancer medication Lorlatinib.

The favorable policies provided for the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port and the specific advantages which Hope City has are development dividends personally felt by many non-Chinese doctors. Dr. Tan Kai Chah(a liver surgeon from Malaysia) also came to Hainan in part because of attractive policies.

"I have been following the development of China's medical industry." As the CEO of Asia Advance Medical Group Dr. Chah has successfully completed hundreds of liver transplants. On various junkets and formal visits to Chinese hospitals, he has often sought out suitable opportunities for collaboration, cooperation, and development. When the State Council officially approved the establishment of the Bo’ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan on February 28, 2013, Dr. Chah was of the opinion that this was an excellent opportunity that needed to be chased up. And, in 2015, he brought a mature medical team to Hope City.

Good Environment + Good Climate = Good Place

Three months ago Dr. Sun Peichen, a fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, saw a promotional video about Hainan on TV in the UK. “I was really moved by the blue sea and blue skies in the video. and, at the same time, I learned a bit about what Hope City is trying to do in Hainan with regards to improving medical care.” The beautiful images of Hainan's clear waters and forested mountains planted a seed in Dr. Sun’s heart. Not long after, she received an invitation from the University of Edinburgh, and agreed without hesitation, to move to Hainan to carry out work related to treating diabetes.

Before the plane even landed in Hainan, Dr. Sun already felt that she had falled in love with this small island. "From up above looking down, everything was green  and the sea was just as beautiful as it was in the promotional videos.” Taking her first photos of Hainan before the plane even landed, Dr. Sun’s first impression of the south Chinese province is that it's covered in an abundance of lush plant life.  “The roads are lined with a profusion of plants. The sun shines practically every day. People are friendly. I quite like my life here.” She’s also full of praise for Hainan’s cuisine with Qionghai's specialty stewed goose being one of her favorites.

More People Building More Bridges for More Medical Exchange

Thanks to Hainan’s active work at constructing a free trade port, development of the local medical industry has entered a "fast lane". During their interviews all of the non-Chinese doctors mentioned that Hainan has the potential to become a bridge between China and the world’s medical services. They all hope more people can come to Hainan, and that these people can jointly promote the rapid improvement and development of medical standards.

How to contact Hope City?
Hope City’s customer service center hotline at 4000-118-118 provides a variety of services including consultation, appointment registration, hospital visits, medical escorts, and complaints. Patients who wish to consult with one of the specialist doctors here are advised to call in advance to set up a visit.