A special medical pilot zone in south China's tropical island province of Hainan has emerged as a premier destination for international patients who are heading to the island to take advantage of premium healthcare services offered as part of the recently-expanded Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP).

China launched the island-wide special customs operations last December, allowing freer entry of overseas goods, expanded zero-tariff coverage and more business-friendly measures into the Hainan FTP, which has now become the world's largest FTP by area.

Nestled in the coastal town of Boao, which is this week welcoming numerous foreign guests as it hosts the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone has become known as China's "testing ground" for the opening-up of the medical sector.

The pilot zone allows patients access to medical devices and pharmaceuticals that have been approved overseas but are not yet available in China, opening up opportunities for international cooperation.

"Seeing these cutting-edge medical innovations firsthand is impressive -- they unlock tremendous cooperation potential between Malaysian businesses and China," said Tan Kee Hock, president of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce.

On site, patients say the quality of the medical services on offer makes them feel optimistic about finding the cure they need.

"Everything was good, everything went really smoothly, nothing went wrong and I'm excited to see and hopefully something can fix my knee," said an international visitor.

The pilot zone welcomed over 400,000 medical tourist visitors in 2024, and the recent Hainan FTP expansion -- which now provides visa-free access for over 80 nationalities -- is likely to see these figures rise further.

According to medical professionals working there, the successful treatments that have been carried out have also helped spread the word about the quality of the pilot zone's hospitals, with special services designed to cater to the needs of international patients.

"Hainan is attracting a growing influx of medical travelers, with dedicated coordinators ensuring seamless, multilingual care," said Yang Xi, a local doctor.

The launch of special customs operations is widely seen as a landmark step in China's ongoing efforts to promote free trade and expand high-standard opening-up, which enables freer flows of goods, capital, personnel and data, supported by zero tariffs, low tax rates and a simplified tax system.

Those benefits have helped bolster medical innovations on the island, as researchers gain access to more global resources.

"After Hainan launched its new customs regime, expanded zero-tariff coverage creates powerful synergy with Lecheng's existing medical policies -- accelerating access to global innovations at enhanced value," said Yu Runhong, supervisor of the International Medical Division at the Lecheng Pilot Zone Administration.

Greater international attention is being focused on Boao this week as the BFA Annual Conference takes place from Tuesday to Friday -- with this year marking the 25th edition of the event which has served as a key platform for strengthening cooperation both within the Asia region and globally.

Days before this year's forum got underway, the China-Swiss Medical Exchange Center was inaugurated, ushering in a new chapter of bilateral collaboration in regenerative medicine.

According to members of the Swiss delegation, Hainan's medical facilities have now reached world-class levels.

"I'm very amazed and very impressed with this region -- all the hospitals that I see here, amazing buildings and also the infrastructure is great," said Johann Fassler, medical director of Swiss Central Clinic.