University of Edinburgh firm set to open hospital in China

Edinburgh International Investments are set to open a hospital in China.

The 200-bed Edinburgh International Hospital in Putian City in China’s eastern Fujian province will provide general medical services with a special focus on paediatrics and the treatment of diabetes.

It will be operated by Edinburgh International Investments Ltd (EII), a joint venture between the University of Edinburgh and a Hong Kong-listed hospital management group.

Putian – population 2.8 million – is a wealthy city on the Taiwan Strait and is behind 80 per cent of Chian’s 12,000 privately-invested hospitals.

EII chairman Dr David Jiang said: “Our project with Putian City aligns perfectly with our strategy to deliver excellence in healthcare service provision, medical training and research, supported by Scottish expertise.

“We believe our hospitals can provide opportunities for clinicians, researchers and service providers who are keen to work in China’s rapidly transforming healthcare sector. This will be our first hospital with other projects to follow in the near future.”

The Lord Provost will take part in the opening ceremony for the newly completed building on Sunday. During his trip he will also name a street after Scotland’s capital.

His visit to China will also see him sign a commitment to reinforce and extend co-operation between Edinburgh and Shenzhen for a further five years. The two cities signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2013 on support for the creative and tech sectors.

Since then, further links have been created into life sciences and education, dovetailing with wider city interests, in particular with Edinburgh University.

The university and EII have already joined with Hua Xua Healthcare to establish Shenzhen Diabetes Hospital.

And as well as the new hospital in Putian, the Lord Provost will be attending opening of the new Merchiston International School in Shenzhen.

Cllr Ross said: “This visit will further strengthen the links Edinburgh has with Shenzhen where we have reciprocal business incubator hubs set up in both cities to support companies in creative and tech industries. We also share significant ambitions with Putian, particularly in the field of healthcare and innovation.

“While I’m there I’m delighted that I will witness the inauguration of the building and support the University of Edinburgh as it continues to play an important role in the development of healthcare services and medical research in Putian. I’m also particularly pleased that I will be cutting the ribbon on Edinburgh Street in Putian.”