China Medical Sector: Hospital says importing US equipment benefits both countries

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Trade tensions between China and the US have eased, and medical equipment makers, as well as patients, are among those expected to benefit. Doctors in China say increasing imports will give patients more options, as CGTN's Zhao Yunfei reports.

At Beijing Shijitan Hospital, this tomography machine is working twenty-four seven. About half of CAT scan machines in this hospital are made in America.

The Radiation Oncology Department's Director, Wang Rengui, says imported spectral CT scan machines can improve the efficiency of diagnoses.

WANG RENGUI, DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY, BEIJING SHIJITAN HOSPITAL "Spectral CT can show the human's body conditions in addition to its basic function. This kind of machine is very rare in China."

Many patients also prefer imported medical equipment for treatments. This linear accelerator machine is an effective tool in radiotherapy. It has a higher cancer cure rate and fewer side effects.

The machine's controller Feng Danjie has seen China's history of importing medical devices since the 1980s. He says buying high-tech equipment from abroad benefits buyers and sellers.

FENG DANJIE DEPARTMENT OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY, BEIJING SHIJITAN HOSPITAL "I think it is a win-win. For American enterprises, it can boost their profit. And for Chinese, the patients are the group who really benefit."

China is one of the biggest buyers of US-made medical equipment, and official data show demand from China has continued to grow in recent years.

ZHAO YUNFEI BEIJING "China has realized its weak spots in high-tech medical manufacturing. Therefore, the country has lowered tariffs on importing cancer treatment-related medicine and also decided to buy more medical equipment from the US. Much effort has been made to serve the patients."

TAN CHUNRONG, DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL DEVICES, BEIJING SHIJITAN HOSPITAL "China's medical market has grown larger after its reform. The demand is getting much higher. If we want to fulfill the need of the Chinese people, we have to make sure there's sufficient equipment."

Many hospital staff I spoke with are calling for more research into core technologies to improve medical services. Zhao Yunfei, CGTN, Beijing.