GE building on basics to expand health business

International medical equipment and solutions provider GE Healthcare, a subsidiary of General Electric Co, plans to increase its sales in China's grassroots market to half of its business in the nation within five years, from less than 20 percent at present.

Rachel Duan, president and chief executive officer of GE Healthcare China, said on Thursday that the US-based company will launch 32 new products here over the next three to four years.

She said 70 percent of the new products will be tailored to grassroots medical care institutions, including hospitals in second- and third-tier cities and counties, as well as clinics in rural areas and urban residential communities.