When international patients consider coming to China for medical care, three destinations consistently rise to the top: Beijing, Shanghai, and Hainan. Each offers a distinctly different healthcare experience, and understanding these differences can make all the difference in choosing the right place for treatment.
Beijing is the nation's political and medical capital. It is home to some of China's most prestigious hospitals, including Peking Union Medical College Hospital, which alone treated 12,000 international patients in 2024. The capital's strength lies in its depth and breadth of expertise. Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Asia's largest neurosurgery center, served 160 foreign patients from 25 countries through its International Department in 2025, with three internationally renowned neurosurgeons on staff. The city has also made significant strides in accessibility. Through the "Jingtong" mini-program, 28 medical institutions now offer full-process English booking services, and the government has released 40 Traditional Chinese Medicine medical tourism service packages designed specifically for international visitors. In Beijing's Chaoyang District alone, foreign patient visits grew from 87,600 in 2020 to 149,900 by the end of 2025, supported by 46 multilingual service institutions, 37 commercial insurance partners, and 79 foreign card payment providers. Put simply, Beijing offers the most comprehensive, authoritative care in the country - ideal for complex or rare conditions.
Shanghai, by contrast, has positioned itself as China's most internationally oriented medical destination. In 2025, Shanghai's public hospitals served 73,200 foreign patients, an increase of over 8% from the previous year. The city has approved 22 public hospitals as "international medical tourism pilot units," including Huashan Hospital - which has provided care to patients from more than 100 countries and regions, with over 50% of its international patients coming from overseas. Shanghai's patients in 2025 came from 90 countries, with the top five being the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, and Germany. What truly sets Shanghai apart is its commitment to standardization. In 2024, the city issued China's first-ever "International Medical Service Standard", providing clear guidelines for multilingual services, appointment scheduling, direct billing, and medical tourism procedures. Shanghai also excels in cutting-edge treatments: Ruijin Hospital has been offering personalized CAR-T cell therapy, and the Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center has treated patients from over 20 countries and regions since its opening in 2015. For patients seeking the most advanced care in a cosmopolitan setting, Shanghai is the natural choice.
Hainan offers something entirely different: a "medical special zone" unlike anywhere else in China. The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone operates under a unique policy framework, allowing it to import innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices that have not yet been approved on the Chinese mainland. By 2025, the zone had introduced over 570 innovative drugs and devices, benefiting nearly 280,000 patients. In 2025 alone, more than 9,300 overseas patients from 14 countries and regions - including Russia, Canada, and the Middle East - came to Lecheng for treatment. The zone also recorded over 860,000 medical tourism visits that year, a staggering 109% increase year-over-year. What makes Lecheng truly special is its speed: patients can access therapies that are not yet available in the rest of China, often within months of their U.S. or European approval. The zone's new one-stop service center, launched in 2026, now integrates over 40 medical institutions and provides visa assistance, cross-border transfer coordination, recovery care, and cultural tourism experiences. With visa-free entry to Hainan available to citizens of 86 countries, Lecheng is rapidly becoming a global hub for those seeking the latest treatments without the wait.
In the end, the choice comes down to what a patient needs. Beijing offers unmatched depth and authority. Shanghai provides world-class technology with international standards and convenience. And Hainan's Lecheng zone delivers access to cutting-edge treatments not yet available anywhere else in China - often faster and at a fraction of the cost. Each city represents a different facet of China's evolving healthcare landscape, and together they make the country one of the most compelling medical tourism destinations in the world.