China: Medical tourism pilot zone in China's Hainan draws rising tide of overseas visitors.

Storyline Medical tourism pilot zone in China's Hainan draws rising tide of overseas visitors At 67, Bulgarian entrepreneur Bobokov Atanas Stoilov learned about the Lecheng Pilot Zone online and traveled there specifically to experience Chinese-style medical services. Local institutions tailored a personalized anti-aging and medical aesthetics program for him. Bobokov Atanas Stoilov, Bulgarian visitor: "It's really something which I don't have in my country. I will send you a picture of me after three months, and you probably will ask yourself, is this the same man we met in Boao?" In addition to specialized aesthetic treatments, he also underwent a cardiovascular check-up at Ruijin Hainan Hospital and received treatment with the lipid-lowering drug Leqvio (inclisiran). Benefiting from the local policy, the drug was first introduced and used in China in the Lecheng Pilot Zone. Bobokov Atanas Stoilov, Bulgarian visitor: "Here not only it's the medical service but also the food is great, seafood is great and lots of green parks and green areas. So you can also do sports. And it's affordable, so it's not so expensive like in Europe. So I would say come and see, come and try. Next year I'm here." With policy support following the Hainan Free Trade Port's special customs operations and its distinctive medical strengths, Lecheng received 3,053 inbound medical tourists in the first quarter of 2026, an eightfold increase year on year. Its international reach now spans 14 countries and regions, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, and Canada. Loh Tian Hwee, Visitor from Singapore: "I love aromatherapy. During the session, I could feel my whole body relaxing. The tension melted away and my breathing became calm and steady. I love to come back and bring my friends." So far, the pilot zone has introduced more than 560 internationally innovative drugs and medical devices, covering major fields such as oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and ophthalmology. It has also approved 29 cutting-edge biomedical technologies, including stem cell therapy, immune cell therapy, and gene therapy, and is home to more than 40 medical institutions. Bao Xiaofeng, Member, Boao Yiling Life Care Center: "We have built a full-scenario, multilingual service network, offering one-on-one services in major international languages such as English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and French, removing communication barriers for international clients." Fu Sheng, Director, Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone Administration: "We will continue upgrading Lecheng's global special medicine insurance, launch international versions of our products, and introduce more international insurers to facilitate cross-border insurance payments." Looking ahead, the Lecheng Pilot Zone will continue to accelerate the aggregation of global high-quality medical resources and further enhance its international medical tourism service capacity. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]