Switzerland NZZ: China Correspondent Visits Peking University International Hospital for Hospital Tour and Professional Exchange

Recently, Matthias Kamp, China Correspondent of Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), together with News Assistant Chuting Duan, paid a visit to Peking University International Hospital for an on-site tour and professional exchange. Mark Wen, Special Advisor to the Chairman of Peking University Healthcare Group, together with Joshua Hiller and other responsible members of the International Medical Center, received the delegation and accompanied them throughout the visit. The two sides held in-depth discussions on the operating features of China’s healthcare system and on the development of the Hainan Medical Special Zone.

During the visit, Mark Wen introduced the hospital’s overall positioning, clinical disciplines, and service characteristics. Joshua from the International Medical Center provided briefings as the delegation toured key areas of the hospital. The journalists visited the Emergency Department, the Department of Radiology, observed the workflow and equipment application in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations, and toured the International Medical Center’s outpatient services and high-end inpatient wards.

The visiting delegation expressed keen interest in the hospital’s modern clinical environment, process management, and international medical service capabilities. They raised on-site questions and exchanged views on the operation of emergency care systems, the building of imaging diagnostic capacity, and the organizational model for premium medical services.

In the subsequent roundtable discussion, the conversation centred on the characteristics of China’s healthcare system, the service models of leading hospitals, and the policy framework and practical implementation of the Hainan Medical Special Zone. It was noted that certain top-tier hospitals in China, while bearing broad public medical responsibilities, have also formed comparatively mature arrangements for high-level medical services. Institutions such as the PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital), Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and Beijing Hospital are able to provide medical services tailored to different patient needs, with some maintaining specialised wards and corresponding management mechanisms.

Drawing on practical cases, the two sides further explored different pathways of hospital cooperation between China and other countries, including lessons drawn from both successful and unsuccessful experiences.

Regarding the development of the Hainan Medical Special Zone, discussion addressed both policy design and real-world operation. As a key platform for China’s medical opening-up, Hainan enjoys certain institutional advantages in introducing overseas medical institutions, medicines, and facilitating physicians’ practice—such as shortened processing time for licensing of foreign doctors. At the same time, it was observed that, although multiple hospitals have been established in the zone, challenges remain in areas including health insurance support, patient volume, and sustainable operation. In taxation and customs clearance facilitation, certain policies bear features akin to those of a bonded zone; yet in aspects of basic infrastructure—such as internet access—the environment remains broadly consistent with that of the mainland.

With regard to follow-up research, Matthias Kamp stated that he plans to conduct field reporting and observation in Hainan from 27 to 30 April, with a focus on patient volume at local hospitals, the participation of foreign-funded enterprises, and the effectiveness of policy implementation. He also intends to liaise with relevant local authorities to further refine the itinerary and identify interviewees.

The roundtable also extended to the impact of China’s multi-sector development on foreign-invested enterprises. Taking Shenzhen and Shanghai Pudong as illustrative cases, participants discussed phased achievements in government-led industrial and urban development, and exchanged views on China’s rapid advances in sectors such as mobile devices, gaming, automobiles, and chemicals. Attendees noted that improvements in “better quality at competitive price” and the speed of iteration are bringing fresh challenges and a need for adaptation to international markets and the operating strategies of foreign companies.

This visit and exchange offered international media a vantage point from the front lines of hospital practice to observe China’s medical service system, while laying a foundation for subsequent on-the-ground reporting concerning Hainan’s medical opening-up policies. Peking University International Hospital will continue to uphold an open posture in external engagement, so that the international community may, with fuller sight and fairer judgment, understand the practice and development of China’s healthcare system.