GE Healthcare is the most exported medical company in China's medical device field in 2019. GE Healthcare's CT plant in China currently supplies two-thirds of GE's global CT equipment. In CT's supply chain, more than 80% of parts have been fully localized and exported to the global market.
During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, GE not only did not reduce its investment in China, but instead increased its investment and transferred all X-ray machines and ventilators to China.
"GE Healthcare has moved our highest-end MRI system to Tianjin for production, the highest-end mobile X-ray machine to Beijing for production, and the highest-end ventilator for production in Wuxi, all of which have received strong support from the Chinese government. And benefit from the recently launched series of policies related to optimizing the business environment." said Zhang Yihao, President and CEO of GE Healthcare China.
However, while multinational giants are vigorously developing China's local ecosystem and cultivating supply chains, some core technologies and R&D capabilities are still in the hands of foreign manufacturers. The industry calls for improving the innovation and R&D strength of local medical devices, and at the same time strengthening international interdisciplinary cooperation, so that high-tech products can be developed in China.
Xu Jinghe, deputy director of the State Drug Administration, said at a China Medical Imaging Conference held in September: “China should accelerate the promotion of low-end products to mid-to-high-end products, complete the transformation from imitation to independent innovation, promote domestic substitution, and solve the core The problem of technical "stuck neck"; in addition, China has also made good use of domestic and foreign resources to actively participate in international cooperation to enhance its competitiveness."