On 15 July, Shenzhen’s Civil Affairs Bureau and other departments released details of a trial statistical classification system for the city’s “silver economy”. This provides a basis for monitoring and analysing the sector, policymaking, industrial cultivation, administration, and planning. The framework divides Shenzhen’s silver economy into six major categories, namely basic living, elderly care services, healthcare, elderly finance, gerontechnology and an age-friendly ecosystem, and involves 44 categories and 99 subcategories.

In the AI era, smart technology-people partnerships are delivering enhanced environments for the Chinese Mainland’s most senior citizens.

On 28 July, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine released an action plan, jointly formulated by several government departments, to strengthen primary-level traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) healthcare services. The goal is to ensure that all residents can access TCM services within a 15-minute journey from their homes by 2030.

On 23 July, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly released a plan for the revitalisation and development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) during the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

On 9 July, the Guangdong Medical Products Administration announced the introduction of the “Yueyaodun” Guangdong drug traceability system, which is designed to strengthen intelligent risk alerts and source control for retail pharmacies.

In line with requirements under the Regulations of Guangdong Province on Administration of Imported Drugs and Medical Devices from Hong Kong and Macao to Nine Mainland Municipalities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Guangdong Medical Products Administration and the Guangdong Health Commission announced on 20 July that updated guidelines for importing such drugs and medical devices will take effect on 8 August. The 2024 edition of the guidelines will be repealed.

Strategically located at the centre of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) bloc, with access to a market of 680 million people, Malaysia offers a business-friendly environment supported by well-developed physical and digital infrastructure. Such advantages have made it an attractive destination for investment and a strategic platform for regional expansion. Malaysia, therefore, offers an attractive platform for Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland enterprises’ ASEAN expansion, production diversification, and participation in such high-growth sectors as semiconductors, electronics, data centres, medical devices, and halal products.

The Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration unveiled Guangdong Standards for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Decoction Pieces on 15 July. When the new standards take effect on 15 January 2027, existing standards and processing specifications for the same medicinal materials and decoction pieces will be repealed simultaneously. For medicinal materials and decoction pieces not covered by the new standards, the existing applicable standards and processing specifications will remain in force. However, such products must comply with the general notices and technical requirements of the current edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and the new Guangdong standards.

On 7 July, the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration and three other departments in Guangdong jointly unveiled a “Spring Rain Action” plan designed to promote the commercialisation of medical devices innovation between now and 2028. The aim is to gather at least 300 clinical innovation achievements annually and over 900 achievements will be included under the “Spring Rain Action” list by the end of 2028, with a batch of eligible projects being selected as key commercialisation projects.

On 9 July, the National Health Commission unveiled its 2026 edition of the National Essential Drug List. Due to take effect on 1 September, the list has been expanded from 685 to 794 items, including 476 pharmaceutical and biological products and 318 proprietary Chinese medicines, in response to public healthcare needs.