Bilateral Momentum: 2024 Beijiangqiao International Healthcare Conference Drives China-Saudi Medical Industry Collaboration

Sun Jianping, President of the Shanghai Federation of Modern Service Industries; Lu Zufang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jiading District Committee of the Communist Party of China and Executive Deputy District Mayor; Zheng Yichuan, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Shenkang Hospital Development Center; Zhu Tongyu, Vice President of the Shanghai Federation of Modern Service Industries, Director of the Professional Committee on Medical Services, and Vice Dean of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University; along with more than 500 professional guests from the fields of medical services, biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and financial investment, attended the conference, small-scale exhibition, and resource matching negotiations.

Co-organized by the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA), the conference-related activities saw a dedicated delegation of leaders and experts from multiple Saudi government agencies—including those responsible for investment, health, industry, food and drug regulation, localization, and government procurement—travel to China to participate. They engaged in in-depth exchanges on international cooperation in the medical industry between China and Saudi Arabia, addressing issues of mutual concern.

In his address, Sun Jianping pointed out that, as a comprehensive hub organization for the service sector, the Federation boasts numerous member units and service platforms, and is committed to promoting the development of Shanghai’s modern service industry. In recent years, the Federation has actively leveraged its platform role to facilitate the high-quality development of the medical and health industry. By aggregating domestic and international resources, it supports the integration of technological innovation, financial capital, and cross-border professional services, thereby continuously enhancing the quality and efficiency of medical services.

As a forum that has been held consecutively for 14 editions, it once again partnered with Jiading District this year, vividly practicing the mission of “gaining industrial insights through a financial lens and aligning financial services with industrial needs,” thereby fostering pragmatic cooperation in relevant fields. This year’s conference placed internationalization as a key agenda item, leveraging the “Professional Services” platform—“Shanghai Go Global” Initiative: Linking the Healthcare Industry to Support the “Going Global” Strategy.The Federation will continue to uphold its service-oriented mission, deepen international exchanges and cooperation, promote the global flow of medical technology, and contribute to human well-being.

Lu Zufang delivered a speech, stating that the biopharmaceutical industry is one of the strategic emerging industries prioritized for development in Jiading District. The district is making every effort to build a biopharmaceutical industry valued at over RMB 100 billion, guided by planning and services. It has already gathered more than 500 upstream and downstream enterprises, giving rise to numerous hard-tech companies. As one of the “dual engines” driving regional development in Jiading, the North Hongqiao Business District is currently cultivating an integrated ecosystem for the life sciences and new technology industrial chain.

This conference will inject new momentum into the development of the biopharmaceutical industry in Jiading. We look forward to working together with all parties to achieve more collaborative outcomes, share development opportunities, and create a better future.

Zheng Yichuan stated at the conference that the Shanghai Shenkang Hospital Development Center is committed to enhancing the management level and patient satisfaction of public hospitals, and has explored a modern hospital management system.

This conference aims to foster international academic exchange and industrial collaboration, thereby advancing progress in medical technology. Technological innovation in medicine is a strategic imperative for the development of the healthcare sector; it requires focusing on cutting-edge technologies, strengthening interdisciplinary cooperation, and accelerating the translation of research findings into practical applications. Meanwhile, efforts should be made to leverage clinical resources to empower industrial development, support the establishment of research-oriented hospitals, optimize translation mechanisms, and expedite the clinical adoption of innovative drugs and medical devices. Furthermore, it is essential to enhance international resource sharing and cooperation, support the global expansion of pharmaceutical and medical device enterprises, and drive the broader health industry toward greater strength, scale, and quality.

The conference focused on in-depth exchanges regarding the deep integration of forward-looking technologies—such as biomedicine, artificial intelligence (AI), and big data—into the fields of organ transplantation, cardiology, and diabetes treatment.

Professor Zhu Tongyu’s presentation focused on “Biological Therapies to Curb the Global Pandemic of Drug-Resistant Bacteria.” Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the organizers, he stated that pharmaceutical technology, medical techniques, high-end manufacturing, management expertise, and other critical resources can achieve broader adoption, faster iteration, and more appropriate costs only through international mobility, thereby continuously enhancing social and economic value. Against the backdrop of the deep integration of the Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030, cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia in the healthcare sector is progressing with mutual commitment.

Professor Li Xiaoying, Director of the Department of Endocrinology at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, discussed exploratory practices in smart diabetes management with attendees; Dr. Liang Yixiu, Associate Chief Physician of the Department of Cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, provided an in-depth exposition on “Precision Medicine for Pan-Vascular Diseases” centered around “Digital Twin-Driven” approaches.

Anas Alteimi, Director of the Medical Devices Industry at the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA); Dr. Adil Monshi, Director General of the Investment Promotion Department at the Ministry of Health (MoH); Abdulrahman Musa Al-Faifi, Vice President of the National Industrial Development Center (NIDC); Abdulhady K. Habash, Director of Healthcare Services and Digital Health at MISA; Mohannad Alatr, Senior Business Development Analyst at MISA; Khawla Yahya Qubti, Associate Business Development Analyst for the Healthcare Sector at MISA; Mohammed Alkhader, Business Development Manager for Medical Supplies at the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority (LCGPA); and Dr. Chen Gaopeng, Investment Director at Prosperity7 Ventures, the venture capital arm of Saudi Aramco, along with colleagues from other relevant Saudi entities, delivered speeches or thematic presentations. Additionally, Faisal Nasser Alzaagi, Director of the Project Investment Department at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), attended the conference.

Further Reading

Overview of the Healthcare Market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Full Text of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 | Chinese Version

Yan Jun, General Manager of the International Business Division of Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co., Ltd.; Wang Bo, Chairman of Shanghai Zhonghua Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; as well as representatives from numerous hospitals including the First People’s Hospital and Renji Hospital, United Imaging Healthcare, BGI Genomics, Henlius, Kuangliang Data, Xiyi Medicine, Jianhui Information, Epu Biotechnology, and Ernst & Young China, also delivered speeches or presented exchanges on relevant core topics.

Representatives from the co-organizer, HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited, also delivered a keynote address at the conference on leveraging financial investment to empower the sustained growth of the healthcare industry.

As a co-organizer, Geng Jing, Director and Executive President of Greenland Holdings Group Co., Ltd., met with the Saudi government delegation during the conference. He expressed his willingness to actively leverage the conglomerate’s integrative capabilities and join forces with various stakeholders to advance higher-level collaborative development in the international operations of the healthcare industry.

"Integrated Professional Services Complex"

Serving the Global Expansion of the Healthcare Industry

——From Shanghai to the World

Lujiazui Industrial Finance Forum Committee,Shanghai Go Global Programrelevant stakeholders introduced the organizational process of this conference and stated that they wouldFurther enhance the role of a “Super Connector” to build an integrated platform for professional services.(such as cross-border taxation, payment and settlement, legal and intellectual property services, technical certification, cross-border human resources, conferences and exhibitions, cross-border logistics, ESG services, and other comprehensive commercial services), guided by professional insights into the healthcare industry, safeguarded by professional service capabilities, and driven by financial capital, to create “unforeseen encounters” and provide effective support for the global expansion of China’s healthcare industry.

During the conference,Shanghai North Hongqiao Medical Service Study and Research Center, Consumer Healthcare Subcommittee of the Medical Services Professional Committee, Shanghai Modern Service Industry Federationand other platforms successfully launched, attendees also witnessed"Shanghai International Medical Guide Special Issue"initiation.

Supported by the “Shanghai Go Global” initiative, multiple parallel matchmaking sessions for Chinese-Saudi medical resources were held from December 7 to 9, further amplifying the conference’s spillover effects.