U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce Andrews today highlighted the need for greater collaboration between American and Chinese health care sectors during his remarks at the China Chamber of Commerce for Imports and Exports of Medicines & Health Products (CCCMHPIE) Luncheon in Beijing. CCCMHPIE represents China’s health care industry. Beijing is the first stop for a health care business development mission that Deputy Secretary Andrews is leading to China. The Deputy Secretary is joined on the trip by Acting Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Mary Wakefield and representatives from 12 U.S. companies.

To begin his remarks, Deputy Secretary Andrews outlined last year’s U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade in Guangzhou led by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang. While the program, “Achieving a Successful Health and Healthcare Ecosystem” was successful in bringing together leaders from both countries, Deputy Secretary Andrews emphasized that government alone cannot solve such vast challenges. He called for greater collaboration between the two nations and urged Chinese health care providers to invest in American products and services.

Throughout his remarks, the Deputy Secretary pushed for the elimination of trade barriers that restrict Chinese citizens’ access to health care. Deputy Secretary Andrews not only highlighted the economic benefits of deepened commercial relations, but also emphasized the improvements to overall healthcare that would be the direct result.

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Ni hao. Thank you all for that warm welcome. This is my second visit to Beijing this year and I am delighted to be back. I would like to start by thanking Vice President Xu Ming and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines & Health Products for hosting us at this wonderful luncheon.

We appreciate the opportunity to meet with such a distinguished group of trade professionals and health industry experts. Joining us on this trade mission are 12 leading American health care companies, each driving innovation in fields like biotechnology, medical devices, hospital administration and health IT. While they specialize in many different areas, they all share a common interest: learning about recent trends in the Chinese health system and creating new partnerships in China’s health care sector.

The U.S. Department of Commerce already enjoys a strong working relationship with China’s Ministry of Commerce and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines & Health Products. Last year, at the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade in Guangzhou, we worked together on a program entitled “Achieving a Successful Health and Healthcare Ecosystem.”

We engaged public and private sector health care experts from both of our countries. We brought business leaders and policymakers together to discuss efforts to improve access to care. And, we shared ideas about how to expand collaboration. In fact, one of those ideas was for this very trade mission – and it took shape during a conversation between U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Vice Premier Wang Yang.

Today’s luncheon is an opportunity to continue that dialogue. And having Acting Deputy Secretary Mary Wakefield with the Department of Health and Human Services join us this trip only underscores our interest in greater bilateral collaboration.

Improving health care is a priority in the United States and in China. In recent years, our countries have implemented ambitious reforms to expand coverage and increase access. Yet we continue to face many common challenges.

Both of our countries see increasing rates of chronic diseases. Both of our governments seek to encourage financial sustainability while increasing innovation. Both of our countries have rapidly aging populations, who will need new types of care in the coming years. Government alone cannot solve such vast challenges. For the United States and for China, greater economic cooperation between our health care sectors must be part of the solution. 

The 12 companies here today are excited about doing more business in China’s fast-growing, rapidly modernizing health care sector. Amgen, for example, is a leading biotechnology firm. They want to provide Chinese patients with greater access to their life-saving drug therapies for cancer, heart disease, and other serious illness.

We also have smaller firms with us today, like Euclid Systems. They manufacture contact lenses for children with myopia. Over 90 percent of their business comes from China – and they want to expand into new regions. And software companies like Medidata Solutions offer innovative health IT systems that can help Chinese providers more efficiently manage data and reduce costs.

We know that when we work together, both of our economies benefit. Through greater collaboration, we can grow our bilateral trade relationship. We can improve public health and productivity. And, we can drive innovation in health and medicine that benefits people around the world. But to do so, we must identify and remove barriers that stand in the way of new commercial partnerships.

Trade barriers are not just bad for business. They are also bad for Chinese patients.

Shutting leading foreign companies out of markets does not make patients healthier – it only keeps new investment and new ideas from benefitting the Chinese people. Purchasing technologies with only upfront costs in mind, rather than long-term value, does not make patients healthier – it only means that the latest products are unavailable to Chinese physicians who want them and Chinese patients who need them. Denying entry to multinational firms with valid patents or using regulations to prevent new drugs from coming to market does not make patients healthier – it only means that medical breakthroughs become available to patients in other markets before they do in China.

In recent years, we’ve seen more Chinese citizens travel to the United States for medical treatment. Of course, they are always welcome. But it is important to note that expanding access to top U.S. health care services here in China could enable more of your patients to get the care they need without having to travel abroad. 

Simply put: eliminating trade barriers and building stronger ties between the American and Chinese health care sectors will mean better care for patients.

The United States wants China to succeed. We want you to build a cutting-edge, modern, and high-quality health care system. We believe that China’s 1.3 billion citizens deserve access to the world’s latest therapies, effective treatments, and life-saving technologies.

And we think that our companies can – and should – be part of meeting these ambitious goals. We see tremendous opportunities for new collaboration – but only if we work together to encourage competition, cooperation, and the creation of new commercial partnerships.

Today, we have an opportunity to continue the conversation started by Secretary Pritzker and Vice Premier Wang Yang one year ago. Together, let’s discuss recent trends, and emerging challenges in China’s health care system. Let’s explore opportunities for American companies to help China meet its health care reform goals. And let’s create new partnerships that advance a mission that both the United States and China share: the creation of truly 21st century health care systems that help all of our people lead healthier, more productive lives.

Thank you again for meeting with us today. It is now my pleasure to introduce Holly Wong, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, she leads efforts to combat disease worldwide and improve international cooperation on health. We are glad to have her here today.