Published by ChinaMNC · Zhifu

China's Health Sector Priorities for the 15th Five-Year Plan: What Foreign Founders Should Know

A summary of China's national health conference and its implications for foreign founders in healthcare, pharma, and related industries.

China's Health Sector Priorities: A Guide for Foreign Founders

On October 12–13, 2026, China held its National Health Conference in Beijing, where President Xi Jinping outlined key directions for the health sector during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030). For foreign founders looking to register or operate a company in China's healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or wellness industries, these priorities signal where opportunities and regulatory focus may lie. Below is a summary of the conference's main points, framed as practical guidance.

Health as a National Priority

President Xi emphasized that people's health is a key indicator of national prosperity. Since the 18th Party Congress, the government has prioritized health in its development strategy and launched the Healthy China initiative. China has built what is described as the world's largest systems for medical services, traditional medicine, disease prevention and control, and medical insurance. For foreign founders, this indicates a strong policy commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure and services, which could create demand for innovative products and services.

Vision for a Healthy China

The goal is a Healthy China that is balanced, inclusive, high-quality, and efficient. It should have strong capacities in health management, disease prevention and control, medical services, medical insurance support, pharmaceutical innovation, and talent cultivation. The aim is to meet the growing health needs of the people and steadily improve major health indicators. This vision suggests opportunities in areas such as health management, preventive care, and innovative pharmaceuticals.

Health Priority Development Strategy

Xi stressed that health must be integrated into all policies. When planning, designing policies, evaluating projects, or constructing facilities, the impact on public health should be considered first. This means foreign founders should anticipate that health impact assessments may become more common in regulatory approvals, particularly for large projects or those affecting public health.

Prevention as the Most Cost-Effective Strategy

Prevention is highlighted as the most economical and effective health strategy. The government will focus on foundational and source-level health work, encourage the public to adopt healthy lifestyles, and promote health self-management. Specific measures include guiding youth to develop good habits, fostering a healthy environment, promoting fitness and healthy leisure, strengthening food safety supervision, and improving the disease prevention and control system to prevent large-scale epidemics. For foreign founders in food and beverage, fitness, or health tech, these priorities may translate into stricter food safety standards and opportunities in preventive health products and services.

Improving Medical Service Levels

A key task is to comprehensively improve medical services. This includes implementing a project to strengthen the foundation of medical and health care, optimizing the layout of medical institutions, and promoting hierarchical diagnosis and treatment so that people can access care nearby. Chronic disease management will be strengthened with integrated prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and management services. The government will also support the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and enhance collaboration between Chinese and Western medicine. Basic research and original innovation in health will be boosted, and the health industry will be expanded. Improving patient experience is also a priority. Foreign founders in medical devices, digital health, and TCM may find opportunities in these areas, but should be aware of the emphasis on local innovation and integration.

Reform as a Driving Force

Reform is seen as a powerful driver for health development. The main direction is the coordinated development and governance of medical services, medical insurance, and pharmaceuticals. Public hospital reform will be deepened with a focus on public welfare, and operational support for county-level and primary care institutions will be strengthened. A multi-tiered medical insurance system will be built, and policies for centralized drug procurement, medical insurance payment, and fund use will be optimized. The government will also improve drug supply guarantee and usage management, and strengthen drug quality and safety supervision. For foreign founders in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, these reforms may affect pricing, procurement, and market access strategies. Understanding the centralized procurement scheme and insurance reimbursement policies will be crucial.

Talent and Workforce Development

Building a strong workforce is essential. The government will strengthen leadership in health administration and medical institutions, and develop a sufficient, well-structured, and high-quality medical workforce. Medical ethics and professional conduct will be emphasized, and a society that respects healthcare workers will be fostered. Foreign founders should note that talent competition may intensify, and compliance with ethical standards will be important.

Global Health Cooperation

Xi called for actively promoting the building of a Global Community of Health for All and deepening cooperation in health under the Belt and Road Initiative. China will innovate and improve foreign health aid and share the story of Healthy China to build international consensus. Foreign founders could explore partnerships in Belt and Road health projects, but should be mindful of geopolitical sensitivities and regulatory frameworks.

Implementation and Focus Areas

Premier Li Qiang, in his closing remarks, stressed the need to implement Xi's speech and highlighted several focus areas: upholding the public welfare nature of basic medical services, balancing basic guarantees with quality improvement, deepening reform and opening up, and addressing pain points and bottlenecks. Specific tasks include improving major disease prevention and control, advancing hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, optimizing patient experience, building a multi-tiered medical insurance system, leveraging TCM advantages, providing health services for the elderly and children, and promoting technology-enabled medical and health development. These areas may offer entry points for foreign founders with solutions in health tech, elderly care, and pediatric care.

Conclusion

The conference reaffirms China's commitment to advancing health sector reform and development during the 15th Five-Year Plan. Foreign founders in healthcare should monitor these policy directions as they may shape market opportunities and regulatory requirements. Staying informed about specific implementation measures at the local level will be essential.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.

For assistance with registering and operating a company in China, foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535.