Chinese Medical Delegation's Strategic Outreach to UAE and Saudi Arabia Advances Global Health Innovation Collaboration

From September 13 to 19, a delegation of Chinese healthcare enterprises, led by the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association and jointly supported by AstraZeneca and Legend Capital, set sail for the Middle East, arriving in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Following their inaugural visit to Brazil in July, this journey marked another chapter in cross-border exchanges and cooperation within the health innovation ecosystem. The initiative aims to facilitate communication and collaboration between Chinese companies and government bodies, medical institutions, industry associations, and investment firms in the Middle East, while helping Chinese enterprises gain deeper insights into the region’s healthcare policies, regulations, market demands, and partnership opportunities.

The delegation was personally led by Wang Lei, President of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, Global Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca, and President of International Operations and China; and Wang Jing, Director of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, Executive Director, and Chief Commercial Officer of CanSinoBIO. The accompanying group comprised 13 enterprises, including CanSinoBIO, Luye Pharma, Amoy Diagnostics, Changchun High-Tech, Innovent Bio, BoAn Biotechnology, New Horizon Health, Innomind, Kanglianda, Etana, BioGerm Medical, Yidu Tech, and Legend Capital, covering sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, vaccines, medical devices, diagnostics, healthcare big data, and investment. During the visit, the delegation engaged in in-depth exchanges and matchmaking with local government departments, industry associations, corporate representatives, and investment institutions in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, aiming to further explore business pathways aligned with the Middle East’s healthcare industrial ecosystem and demands, thereby facilitating the global expansion of Chinese medical innovations.

The delegation was warmly welcomed by relevant local government departments in the Middle East. It was invited to visit governmental agencies in both countries, including the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADID), the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), the Saudi Ministry of Health, and the Saudi Ministry of Investment (MISA). Furthermore, the delegation held in-depth exchanges with key officials such as H.E. Amin Al Amiri, Minister of Health and Prevention of the UAE, and H.E. Ammar M. Altaf, Deputy Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia. The parties engaged in thorough discussions on registration and filing procedures for market entry of Chinese innovative products, market access conditions, and foreign investment incentives in both countries.

In addition to meetings and exchanges with government officials from both countries, the delegation, during its first stop in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), successfully engaged with local institutions through a special seminar hosted by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). These institutions included M42, a comprehensive healthcare company; Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), a higher education institution specializing in artificial intelligence; and Hayat Biotech, a biotechnology firm. The parties focused on exploring cooperation opportunities in medical technology innovation, digital healthcare development, and biotechnology applications. Furthermore, the delegation visited the ALJ Group, a leading local pharmaceutical distribution and investment company in the UAE, and actively discussed potential models for collaboration. Moreover, at an AstraZeneca UAE Ecosystem Partnership Dinner, the delegation communicated with AstraZeneca’s international business management team, conducting in-depth discussions on how to strengthen cooperation between the Middle East and China in the field of healthcare innovation.

After traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia, the delegation first held meetings in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, with Olayan Group, a leading local medical distribution company, where both parties exchanged views on potential future cooperation. The delegation also visited THE LINE, a futuristic city project, to gain insights into Saudi Arabia’s development strategies and latest achievements in technological innovation and international cooperation. In addition, the delegation attended the China-Saudi Medical Cooperation Forum, where it shared successful case studies of Chinese medical innovations in their international expansion, while expressing China’s investment intentions and cooperation objectives for the Saudi healthcare sector. Representatives from local Saudi enterprises warmly welcomed the Chinese companies’ willingness to collaborate and offered proactive suggestions on strengthening joint efforts between China and Saudi Arabia in the healthcare field. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca actively facilitated discussions between the delegation members and SPIMACO, its localized production partner and the largest private pharmaceutical group in the Saudi market, to explore potential areas of collaboration. As the first pharmaceutical company listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange, SPIMACO also provided valuable experience for Chinese enterprises in exploring local business models.

As a vital trade crossroads between Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Middle East has also become a hub region for China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In recent years, the region has witnessed rapid economic development and boasts immense market potential, emerging as a “new hotspot” for Chinese enterprises across various industries seeking to expand overseas. Through this visit, the Chinese medical enterprise delegation fully appreciated the unique appeal of the Middle Eastern market and looks forward to leveraging this event to further accumulate experience and resources for Chinese healthcare companies’ global expansion, thereby promoting higher-quality, diversified international cooperation in the healthcare sector.

As a member of the Chinese medical enterprise delegation traveling to the Middle East,Wang Jing, Director of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, Executive Director and Chief Commercial Officer of CanSinoBIOHe stated, “This overseas expansion initiative has allowed us to recognize the diverse healthcare needs and innovation potential in the Middle East. Moving forward, we will leverage this opportunity to further strengthen exchanges with our partners in the region, strive to provide local patients with more high-quality products and services, and work hand in hand with local partners to promote medical innovation and the development of the healthcare sector in the Middle East. At the same time, we aim to accumulate additional experience and resources for the internationalization of Chinese enterprises.”

Regarding the Chinese medical enterprise delegation’s expansion into the Middle East,Pelin Incesu, Head of AstraZeneca’s Middle East and Africa Businessstated: “The Middle East is experiencing rapid economic development and possesses immense market potential, with diverse demands particularly in the healthcare sector. Chinese enterprises boast globally leading capabilities and experience in medical technology advancement and digital innovation. The visit of the Chinese delegation to the Middle East has also injected new vitality into the local healthcare industry. We look forward to seeing more innovative Chinese healthcare achievements and solutions implemented in the Middle East in the future, thereby driving the sustained development of the region’s healthcare industry.”

Wang Lei, President of the CEIBS Alumni Healthcare Industry Association, and Global Executive Vice President, International Business & China President of AstraZenecastated, “This exchange visit to the Middle East marks another occasion for AstraZeneca to lead a delegation of enterprises from China’s health innovation ecosystem abroad, following the July event in Brazil. It showcases the innovative achievements and willingness for international collaboration within China’s healthcare sector. Looking ahead, AstraZeneca will continue to build bridges for global expansion, working hand in hand with local ecosystem partners to further implement, expand, and deepen the ‘going global’ strategy. This effort aims to promote in-depth exchanges and cooperation between China and countries worldwide in the healthcare field, while making sustained contributions to global health.”