China is bolstering its healthcare system through the Healthy China Initiative, aiming to expand access to affordable healthcare services for its population of over 1.4 billion people. Central to these efforts is the enhancement of rural medical facilities, improved health insurance coverage, and the increased accessibility of quality medical services.
President Xi Jinping has underscored the necessity of directing more medical resources towards community-level institutions to ensure essential healthcare services are available to individuals in both urban and rural areas. During a visit to a township clinic in Jiangsu province in 2014, he advocated for improvements in local medical facilities and reductions in the complexities and costs of obtaining treatment.
The initiative includes comprehensive reforms across hospital management, medical insurance, medicine supplies, healthcare supervision, and tiered medical services. These reforms are designed to enable serious illnesses to be treated within provinces, common conditions within cities or counties, and routine health problems at local medical facilities.
To support these efforts, China has developed 125 national regional medical centers, particularly in central and western regions where advanced medical resources are limited. Currently, more than 90 percent of residents can access medical services within 15 minutes, with primary-level institutions accounting for over half of all medical visits nationwide.
The initiative also emphasizes preventive healthcare, focusing on children and older people. Efforts to combat childhood myopia have led to a decline in the student myopia rate, reaching 49.9 percent in 2025, down from previous years. Additionally, the average life expectancy has risen to 79.25 years, while the premature mortality rate from major chronic diseases has decreased to 13.8 percent.
China’s healthcare strategy increasingly incorporates medical technology and pharmaceutical innovation, with the government promoting digital healthcare, artificial intelligence applications, and the development of domestic medicines, vaccines, medical equipment, and diagnostic technologies. In the first half of 2026, 38 innovative drugs were approved.
Traditional Chinese medicine remains integral to the country’s healthcare system, with efforts underway to modernize and promote international cooperation. By 2035, China aims to establish a healthcare system that aligns with its broader modernization goals, addressing the challenges of service quality, affordability, and access as the population continues to age and diversify in healthcare needs.