Shanghai FTZ to get Artemed hospital

The Artemed hospital in FTZ will undoubtedly set an example for more overseas medical bodies entering into China."

Zhu said they are also in talks with other foreign medical intuitions. Chinese media reported that these foreign medical intuitions include hospitals from Australia and Japan, for ventures in the fields of tumor and postoperative recovery treatment.

Many investors have expressed interest in opening hospitals in the Shanghai FTZ, as they see huge growth potential in China's healthcare market, said Zhou Mingren, vice-president of Shanghai Landseed International Hospital, the first totally Taiwan-invested hospital on the mainland, which opened for business in 2012.

In recent years, China has been steadily loosening restrictions for overseas investors in the medical sector. According to a document on speeding up the development of the medical sector by social capital, released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission at the end of 2013, the areas for investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to establish wholly owned hospitals have expanded to all prefecture-level cities on the mainland.

Other qualified overseas investors can develop wholly-owned medical units in the Shanghai free trade zone and other special zones, it said.

Rainer Salfeld, executive director of Artemed said the company welcomes the considerable efforts taken by the government to promote people's health in China.

"We will support China's healthcare reform and introduce advanced medical knowledge, equipment and management experiences," he said. The Artemed Group operates eight hospitals and five elderly-care centers in Germany, serving over 50,000 inpatients and 150,000 outpatients every year.