The Healthcare Industry and the Role of China

Background: Globalization is becoming a key issue for healthcare sector and China seems to gain an increasing role. Increased foreign direct investments (fdis) to and from China reveals the creation of global value chains in the healthcare industry, with opportunities and challenges for both host and home countries. Objective: To investigate the motivations and factors that influence Chinese investments location choice in the healthcare sector in Europe, as well as its potential impact on European countries and markets. Methods: A unique database from the Ministry of Commerce (mofcom) was used and six fixed-effects logit models were performed on home and host country factors (including state and regional factors) affecting location choice of Chinese investments in Europe in the healthcare sector. Results Healthcare quality in both home and host countries has negative effects on Chinese ofdis. Chinese healthcare firms are attracted to countries with well-established institutions. Population structure and full-time employees in both home regions and host countries significantly affect Chinese ofdis, but with different signs between home regions and host countries. The technological level of host country is an important factor in attracting Chinese healthcare firms. Conclusions The country endowments, institutions and sectoral specificity of both home and host countries are shaping the location choice by Chinese healthcare firms in eu. Chinese firms are not only market-seekers, but also strategic-asset-seekers. Policy implications are relevant and call for coordination of local industrial and promotion policies of European countries, also considering the potential impact of Chinese fdi on the access to health professionals’ talents and health technologies.