China’s Sanya to improve medical services for tourists from Russia, other countries

HAIKOU /China/, September 21. /TASS/. The resort city of Sanya in China’s southern Hainan Province continues to actively improve its medical tourism services for citizens of Russia and other countries, the Sanya Ribao newspaper reported.

According to the newspaper, the Hainan Free Trade Port is seeking to strengthen Sanya’s status as a world-class seaside wellness resort. The publication noted that unique environmental conditions and traditional medicine methods are attracting more and more foreigners.

The newspaper said that Sanya’s authorities and businesses continue to improve the entire industrial chain providing international medical services. Their development in Hainan Province is driven by the visa-free entry regime for residents of Russia and 87 other countries and regions and the optimization of cross-border payments. These trips are also expected to spread Chinese treatment methods abroad.

As an example, the newspaper cited a story of Igor Petrov from Moscow, who has visited Sanya for the second time to use the services of a local traditional medicine center under an individual program. In particular, he has undergone a course of acupuncture there. According to Petrov, this treatment, along with massage and herbal remedies, has significantly improved his health.

Local medical professionals note that more and more foreigners are coming to Sanya specifically for medical care. The most common medical conditions people want to treat include pain in the neck, shoulders, lower back and legs, cervical spondylosis, adhesive capsulitis, knee pain, spleen and stomach disorders and insomnia. The effectiveness of the methods speaks for itself, with a lot of patients telling their friends and family members back home about medicine in Sanya, sparking their interest in wellness trips to Hainan.

According to statistics, the international center of traditional Chinese medicine in Sanya, which tourists from Russia and other countries visit, saw 7,500 foreigners in 2024, 10,700 others in 2025 and 8,000 more from January to June 2026. Revenue from foreign visitors increased by around 15% year-on-year in the first six months of 2026.