China’s Health Care and Foreign Investment

Image: George Hodan, Cardiogram Pulse Trace (Publicdomainpictures.net)

The World Health Organization has projected that, compared with 2018, nearly 360 million more people in China will enjoy improvements in health and wellbeing in 2025. To meet this target, among others, and to prepare for health care challenges arising from significant demographic changes occurring in China, the Chinese leadership has introduced various measures, including allowing the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in nine localities. These measures are welcome. However, a major problem lies in whether China is ready to amend legal rules to reduce the legal risks associated with medical practice as potential criminal consequences are likely to deter foreign medical professionals from practicing in China.Read more

In Brief

Image: Kai Stachowiak, Background Wallpaper (Publicdomainpictures.net)

The global legal services market has been predicted to grow to USD 1,311.63 billion by 2031, with the fastest-growing regions being South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe and it is estimated that their compound annual growth rates will range from 11.1% to 8.9%. What are the implications of these predictions for lawyers and rule-of-law developments in China?Read more

In Brief

Images: Peter Griffin, Bullet Train;
Victoria Borodinova, Bedouin, Desert, Caravan, Camels (Publicdomainpictures.net)

Long before the emergence of AI chatbots, China had already prioritized the development of AI, resulting in the promulgation of pioneering legislation to boost foreign investment. Applying similar long-term planning skills, China began years ago to revive the glory of Xi’an, the eastern terminus of the ancient Silk Road, by enhancing the city’s capacity to resolve legal disputes arising from China’s current Belt and Road Initiative. Xi’an’s recent hosting of the China–Central Asia Summit has signaled the city’s potential to facilitate again the economic development in this region. These achievements are quite remarkable. How did China get here and where will this likely lead to? Read more

SinoForum&Foresight

Image: Gerd Altmann, The Age Of AI Has Begun (Publicdomainpictures.net)

To compete with ChatGPT and similar AI products for market share, Baidu launched ERNIE Bot in March 2023. How far ERNIE Bot and other AI industries will be able to develop in China depends on Chinese policies and legislation on AI. Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai have taken the lead to formulate their local regulations in accordance with China’s national policies and have been developing AI industries in their own special ways. Which city should foreign investors choose to enter China’s AI market?Read more