Hainan Island, located in southernmost China, has leveraged its unique natural resources to become a world-class tourism destination. After the Island became a Free Trade Port last year, a pilot zone focused on medical services is now receiving a policy boost. This initiative aims to introduce high-quality medical resources and enhance international healthcare services, drawing a growing number of overseas visitors. Shi Shaopeng reports. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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 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.