China and Germany deepen partnership to foster healthcare cooperations

Cooperation between China and Germany in healthcare has developed over several decades, from initial academic exchanges into comprehensive partnerships spanning public health, biomedical research and pharmaceutical collaboration.

In recent years, enterprises and institutions from both countries have engaged in frequent exchanges, fostering dialogue, strengthening mutual trust and reaching a range of cooperation agreements and understandings.

In November 2025, the 3rd Sino-Germany Cross-Border Pharmaceutical and Health Industry Cooperation & Exchange Conference was held at the Daxing Biomedicine Industrial Base in Beijing.

The conference highlighted cutting-edge fields such as natural medicines, probiotics and organic skincare. It featured different sections such as keynote speeches and product exhibitions, building an efficient and practical platform for communication and cooperation between Chinese and German enterprises.

"The exhibition brings together innovative products from both Germany and China, including advanced AI-powered medical devices," said Ao Miaomiao, general manager of HCP GmbH.

She expressed hope that Germany will continue to deepen its engagement in the Chinese market, promoting the introduction of pharmacist-developed products while also assisting high-quality Chinese products in expanding into the European market.

HCP GmbH, one of the conference co-organizers, is a pioneering German pharmaceutical and healthcare enterprise that ventured into the Chinese market.

Not only are German products well received in China, but Chinese herbal medications and therapeutic practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are also gaining increasing popularity in Germany.

Last year, a traditional Chinese herbal beverage produced by Anhui Jiren Pharmaceutical has been offered not only in local German pharmacies but also on the menu of cafes in Hamburg, serving as a daily wellness supplement.

"From treatment to wellness, we seek to integrate TCM's health-preserving culture into the daily lives of Europeans," said Zhu Qiang, deputy general manager of Anhui Jiren Pharmaceutical.

Anhui Jiren Pharmaceutical entered the European market in 2018, and 193 of its TCM granule varieties have passed official German quality inspections and are available in the European market. 

"We are exploring new approaches to bring more products to the global market, including strengthening ties with overseas research institutions to prove TCM's efficacy with scientific evidence," Zhu Qiang said.

Last year, several Chinese institutions signed collaboration agreement with German institutes to foster exchange between Chinese and Western medicines and establish partnerships.

During an academic visit to Germany in December 2025, Li Kun, vice president of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, led her delegation to reach multiple cooperation consensus with top-tier German research institutes, such as Charité, one of the leading university hospitals, and University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. They signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation.

In January 2025, the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and TCM-Klinik Bad Kötzting (TCM-KBK) in Germany signed a strategic collaboration agreement.

Under the agreement, the collaboration between CMHHK and TCM-KBK involves the exchange of Chinese medicine talents, promoting the development of clinical applications of the interaction between Chinese and Western medicines, and establishing a scientific research network for Chinese medicine.

(Cover via VCG)