Taiwan Pavilion Unveiled in Beijing Trade Fair, Medical Tourism Becomes New Hot Spot

Source: NOWnews.com, May 30, 2014 10:49
Mainland News Center / Summary Report

The Third China (Beijing) International Fair for Trade in Services (Beijing Trade Fair) opened at the National Convention Center in Beijing. Led by the Taiwan Trade Center, ‘Taiwan Service Pavilion’ was unveiled in the Beijing Trade Fair for the third time, with many well-known Taiwanese medical institutions attending in Beijing to promote Taiwan’s quality medical services to the Mainland public.

According to reports of the Taiwan.cn, on the opening day of the Beijing Trade Fair, the Taiwan Trade Center organized a heartwarming ‘Reunion of International Friends in Taiwanese Medical Institutions’ at the National Convention Center. Four patients from all over China shared their experiences in Taiwan for the treatment of severe obesity, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and lumbar disc herniation, giving high acclaim to the outstanding skills and meticulous services of famous Taiwanese hospitals including E-Da, Chang-Gung, Veterans General, and  Min-Sheng.

It is understood that since Taiwan started to promote its medical services to overseas customers in 2007, with amendments to and deregulation of various policies and global marketing of the Taiwan Trade Center, it has begun to gain significant return growth in recent years. According to statistics of the governing authorities in Taiwan, the number of Mainland Chinese entering Taiwan with health check and medical cosmetology visas has reached nearly 100,000 in 2013.

In an interview, Deputy Secretary-General of the Taiwan Trade Center Walter Yeh observed that Taiwan's medical services have many advantages and strengths, with a world-class technology level, comparable with European and American countries. According to statistics, the global number of people entering Taiwan for medical services has exceeded 220,000 in 2013.  A high-quality healthcare environment and an international level of medical technology are the key valuable assets of Taiwan's medical community. There is no language and cultural gap between Taiwan and Mainland China. As cross-strait interaction is getting more frequent, Taiwan is becoming the first choice for Mainland Chinese looking for overseas medical services.

‘In recent years, due to more frequent cross-strait interactions, there seems to be a new trend of Mainland people entering Taiwan for medical treatment. With the increase in cross-strait exchanges and the liberation of policies, especially the deregulation of independent travelling, more Mainland countrymen will come to Taiwan for medical services in the future. A new wave of Mainland enthusiasm for medical tourism to Taiwan will come again.’ Yeh said.

Background information:

To meet the medical needs of more Mainland tourists, Taiwan has opened visa applications for medical tourism. Mainland tourists no longer need to apply for visas for group or individual sightseeing tourism, or with the endorsement of business visit. They can ask contracted hospitals in Taiwan to apply for visas on their behalf for reason of health check or medical cosmetology. A tourist visa for a maximum 15-day stay can be granted for each application. Up to now, Taiwan’s cities for pilot testing of Mainland visitors’ individual tours have increased to 26 cities. The ‘Ministry of Health and Welfare’ of Taiwan has approved and published a list of 45 hospitals, which can directly apply for entry visa to Taiwan on behalf of their patients, on the grounds of ‘health check and medical cosmetology.’ With exchanges between Mainland and Taiwan growing more frequent and the deregulation of polices, it is expected that more Mainland tourists will come to Taiwan for medical services in the future.

Hospital friends and their attending physicians meet at the Reunion of International Friends in Taiwanese Medical Institutions. (Photo by Di Ma, Taiwan.cn)

Representatives of renowned Taiwanese hospitals meet the press.