Prof Chak-Sing Lau, speaking on leveraging China’s rapid growth in medicine and healthMainland China’s growing investment in medicine and biopharma is reshaping its research and healthcare landscape while creating new opportunities for Hong Kong – to contribute to, and benefit from – the next phase of development, noted Professor Chak-Sing Lau, Dean of Medicine, University of Hong Kong (HKU), at the 30th Hong Kong Medical Forum.
China’s 15th 5-year plan (FYP) and the Healthy China 2035 initiative are key drivers. “The first is to optimize and enhance specific policies so that everyone who needs medical care will be given, can afford and can find medical care,” said Lau. “Strengthening primary [community] healthcare and public health capacity and services is the next important agenda.”
“Thirdly, there is a focus on accelerating innovation and bench-to-bedside translational research. Innovation must be the primary driving force, with funds and a good ecosystem to support and promote that. There is a pledge starting this year, of >7 percent annual increase in research and development [R&D] expenditure,” he added. Other priorities include advancing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integrative medicine, and cultivating professionalism, ethics, and humanity in healthcare.
Lau underscored the economic benefits of sustained R&D investment, citing evidence from biopharma’s economic impact on the US economy as an example, where returns from biopharmaceutical innovation successes can offset the substantial cost of healthcare. Beyond patient outcomes, such investment can generate broader returns through cross-sector employment and industrial growth.
Despite China’s rapid rise in R&D spending and its leading position in research output (ranked first in the Nature Index since 2023), Lau noted a gap between publication volume and real-world clinical impact. China still lacks representation among top-tier global health science research leaders, and collaboration in publications and clinical trials on an international level remains limited.
In this context, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to serve as a “super connector” linking China with global markets and expertise. Lau pointed to its strengths in regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, financial and tax incentives, digital competitiveness, talent attraction, and internationally recognized clinical trial capabilities. These advantages position Hong Kong to support China’s anticipated “Deep Seek” moment in biopharma innovation.
While Hong Kong’s smaller population can constrain clinical trial recruitment, this limitation can be mitigated through integration with the Greater Bay Area, which comprises 11 cities (including Hong Kong and Macau) and a population exceeding 86 million. Collaborative platforms such as the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute in Hong Kong, alongside its Shenzhen counterpart, demonstrate how cross-border coordination can expand clinical trial capacity and scope, improve efficiency, and attract high-quality studies.
Key growth areas include oncology, inflammatory and infectious diseases, degenerative conditions, and rare diseases. “We started the Hong Kong Genome Project 6 years ago, and it is supporting not only genome study of patients with cancers and other metabolic diseases, but also the growth and development of rare disease research,” reported Lau. He also highlighted the implications of population ageing, driving the demand for chronic disease and longevity-focused therapies.
Education and workforce development must evolve in tandem, aligning training with emerging scientific and healthcare priorities. “Future doctors should be trained not only as clinicians, but also as clinician-scientists who can ask research questions, evaluate evidence, and help translate discoveries into benefits for patients,” Lau emphasized.
“Above all, do not forget humanity and equitable healthcare,” Lau concluded.