In today’s talking points: China’s healthcare reforms to be accelerated; $5 billion Chinese healthcare pharmaceutical deal; China’s health and fitness boom creating heated competition for wearable tech companies; World’s first tree top glass toilet hopes to boosts tourism
China’s healthcare reforms to be accelerated
China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced last weekend that health insurance reforms were to be sped up. The Ministry has urged all provinces in China to begin and release their plans for health insurance integration within the next few months. The announcement echoes pints made by the Premier Li KeQiang who has stated that the government is looking to achieve a national roll out of health insurance at a faster rate. The World Bank has also urged China to reform its healthcare system earlier this year.
Read more at: GB Times
$5 billion Chinese healthcare pharmaceutical deal
Chinese companies have bought more than $5.2 billion of overseas healthcare acquisitions this year with US and European drug brands being favoured. Although China’s pharmaceutical industry is still in the middle of consolidation and pricing issues, it is making progression in terms of competing with the larger international rivals. Some of the more prominent deals this year include Humanwell Healthcare Group buying out US based Epic Pharma LLC for $550 million and Shanghai Fosun Group buying out Indian Gland Pharma Ltd. for approximately $1.3 billion.
Read more at: Bloomberg
China’s health and fitness boom creating heated competition for wearable tech companies
Fitness focused wearable brands like Apple, Fitbit and Fossil are all placing heavy emphasis on China sales. With roughly 385 million or more Chinese who are tech inclined and health conscious, companies are scrambling to capture this market with the government predicting the sports and fitness industry to be worth $800 billion within the next decade. Global brands are also in contention with low cost domestic brands like Xiaomi who have dominated the market with success in all sorts of tech devices.
Read more at: Wareable
World’s first tree top glass toilet hopes to boosts tourism
The bizarre world first tourist attraction located in Hunan, China has attracted a lot of attention, being the world’s first toilet block made entirely from transparent material. The new lavatories are perched on top of trees in the woods near Shiyan Lake and have only frosted glass dividing the men’s cubicles from the women’s. The lavatories have officially opened, with hopes that it will boost tourism in the areas around Changsha city to admire views of the forests and beautiful autumn colours of the area.
Read more at: Capital FM