Recently, the “Blue Book on Medical Devices: China’s Medical Device Industry Development Report (2018),” released in Beijing by the China Association for Drug and Medical Device Regulatory Research and the Social Sciences Academic Press, stated that since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed in 2013, demand for China’s medical device products has increased among countries along the Belt and Road. In 2017, the trade volume between countries along the Belt and Road and China in medical devices reached 6.361 billion U.S. dollars, representing a 7.7% increase over the same period and accounting for 15.12% of China’s total global medical device trade during that time.

　　The report states that, since its launch more than five years ago, the Belt and Road Initiative has resonated with many countries. Its principles of peaceful development and shared prosperity—based on consultation, joint construction, shared benefits, and win-win outcomes—have gained widespread recognition. The initiative has played a crucial role in promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in Asia as well as other regions and countries beyond Asia, strengthening two-way investment with various nations, creating new highlights for cooperation, and providing opportunities for regional and subregional international collaboration. Chinese medical device companies should seize these opportunities and adopt a new model of “group-based overseas expansion,” leveraging complementary strengths and diversifying overseas investment risks. By working together, they can jointly explore foreign markets and bring Chinese products, services, and even brands to an increasing number of countries along the Belt and Road.

　　The report shows that in 2017, there were 16,768 Chinese enterprises engaged in medical device business operations with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, representing a year-on-year increase of 12.22%. Compared to 2013, the number of such enterprises increased by 4,213, indicating that countries along the Belt and Road have attracted growing attention from domestic businesses. At this stage, most of the enterprises participating in these operations are private enterprises. Private enterprises are not only the mainstay but also a vital driving force behind the Belt and Road Initiative, with export revenues reaching 3.036 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 67.83% of total exports.

　　The report argues that the Belt and Road Initiative has created an international healthcare and medical industry market with enormous potential. This market not only brings together medical resources from both domestic and international sources but also attracts a large number of participants from across the globe in the healthcare and medical industries. For Chinese medical device companies seeking to achieve breakthroughs in markets along the Belt and Road, the top priority is to foster positive integration with local societies, cultures, and legal systems.