China-Belarus Medical Cooperation: New Opportunities and Developments

Since the proposal of China's "Belt and Road" initiative in 2013, cooperation between China and Belarus in fields such as economy, culture, and technology has continued to heat up. As healthcare is a common concern for humanity, it has naturally become one of the important areas for prioritized cooperation between the two countries. Belarus, located at the intersection of Europe and Asia, has a relatively advanced pharmaceutical industry and research system, which provides natural complementary advantages and significant development potential for cooperation between China and Belarus.

Current Status of Belarusian Medical Health and Pharmaceutical Trade

Healthcare Status

Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with a total population of approximately 9.45 million as of August 2024. However, due to factors such as an aging population, low birth rates, and population outflow, the overall population is showing a slow downward trend.

The most common and fatal diseases in Belarus can be categorized into several types. Firstly, cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease, constitute a significant portion of causes of death in Belarus. Secondly, cancer accounts for 13%-15% of all deaths, with certain types of cancer increasing year by year. Additionally, respiratory diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia are also prevalent, along with autoimmune diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis affecting many patients.

Belarus implements a free healthcare system, primarily relying on government financial support. Reports indicate that by the end of 2022, Belarus had 585 hospitals, 2,660 outpatient medical institutions, 13 medical and pharmaceutical research institutes, 4 central research laboratories, 4 medical schools, and 4 advanced training colleges for doctors. According to statistics from the Belarusian Ministry of Finance, in 2022, healthcare expenditures amounted to 1.69 billion Belarusian rubles, accounting for about 5% of total government expenditures.

Current Status of the Pharmaceutical Industry

In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry in Belarus has developed rapidly. According to the 2023 pharmaceutical industry report published by the Belarusian National Investment and Privatization Agency, the output of the pharmaceutical sector accounted for 1.2% of the total value added, totaling $760.7 million in 2022. From 2017 to 2021, the industry’s output value increased by 29.88%. In 2021, the retail market share of the Belarusian pharmaceutical market reached 71.6%, with the hospital market share at 27.8%, and the non-medical segment share at 0.6%. The main driver of growth has come from the hospital sector. Within the segmented pharmaceutical market, the oncology drug market in Belarus has performed exceptionally well, with the market size expected to reach $51.57 million in 2024.

Major Belarusian pharmaceutical companies include Belpharmprom, R-Pharm, Biotechpharma, Nativita, and Belmedpreparaty, with key products in cardiovascular, digestive system, and antibiotic drugs, along with some herbal medicine companies.

Belpharmprom was established in 2017 to improve the management system of the pharmaceutical industry, comprising eight organizations, six pharmaceutical enterprises, one research institution, and one medical product manufacturing enterprise. Subsidiaries of Belpharmprom account for 50.1% of the total national pharmaceutical production and approximately 80% of Belarus's total pharmaceutical exports. It has signed cooperation agreements with 19 pharmaceutical companies and one medical device manufacturer.

Current Status of Pharmaceutical Trade

According to OEC data, in 2022, Belarus exported $72.6 million worth of pharmaceutical products, ranking 23rd among its export products. The main destinations for pharmaceutical product exports include Kazakhstan ($18.8 million), Uzbekistan ($17.6 million), Azerbaijan ($9.05 million), Vietnam ($6 million), and Kyrgyzstan ($5.68 million).

In terms of imports, Belarus imported $597 million worth of pharmaceutical products in 2022, ranking fifth among imported products. The main countries supplying pharmaceutical imports were Lithuania ($122 million), Germany ($75.2 million), China ($61.1 million), Slovenia ($54.6 million), and Switzerland ($40.5 million).

Achievements and Positive Progress in China-Belarus Medical Cooperation

Platform Cooperation

The China-Belarus Industrial Park covers an area of approximately 117 square kilometers, with a planned development area of 91.5 square kilometers. It is currently the largest overseas economic and trade cooperation zone in terms of planned area, construction scale, and cooperation level, in which China has invested and developed. This park was personally advocated by the heads of state of China and Belarus and is strongly supported by the two governments, earning the reputation of a "pearl project" and a landmark project along the "Belt and Road" initiative.

The park has specific policy provisions for the development of biopharmaceuticals, including traditional Chinese medicine. A presidential decree allows medical personnel from 17 countries, including China, with valid medical qualifications to conduct medical activities within the jurisdiction of the China-Belarus Industrial Park. These medical personnel can use drugs produced and approved in these 17 countries without needing to pass the Russian language medical qualification assessment or obtain additional approval from the Belarusian Ministry of Health. Drugs from these 17 countries are given priority when applying for production licenses in Belarus. Clinical trials, which originally had to be conducted at three specified local hospitals by the Belarusian Ministry of Health, can now be conducted by investors who may choose two hospitals from a list provided by the ministry. The registration process for drug production licenses has also been shortened to less than 60 days.

On March 22, 2021, New Era Biomedicine, a traditional Chinese medicine enterprise, was established in the China-Belarus Industrial Park, becoming the 69th enterprise in the park and the first traditional Chinese medicine project in Belarus. This company will expand the production varieties of traditional Chinese medicine using local herbs and plant materials and establish centers for traditional medical cultural exchange and treatment.

Cooperation in the Pharmaceutical Field

Cooperation between China and Belarus in the pharmaceutical field has deepened continually. For instance, on September 16, 2021, Gan Li Pharmaceutical's insulin lispro injection received registration approval from the Belarusian drug regulatory authority, marking it as the first insulin lispro product approved for sale in Belarus. Additionally, Gan Li Pharmaceutical’s main product, insulin glargine injection, won a bid in the Belarusian market in 2020.

Weigao Biosciences, as the first company in the industry to export blood product production technology abroad, signed an international technology export agreement with the blood transfusion center of the Belarusian Ministry of Health in 2022. In August 2024, representatives from the Belarusian International Medical Center and the Russian pharmaceutical giant R-Pharm visited Weigao Life Science Park for research and cooperation exchanges.

In July 2023, the China-Belarus Biopharmaceutical Industrial Park was inaugurated in the China-Belarus Industrial Park. This industrial park is being jointly developed by Sinopharm Group and the Belarusian National Biotechnology Company, focusing on the development of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and health products.

In October 2024, North China Pharmaceutical's subsidiary, Huayao International, announced a strategic cooperation agreement with the Belarusian Ministry of Health, which plans to appoint Huayao International as the general agent for procuring raw pharmaceutical materials in China.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Cooperation

Several traditional Chinese medicine centers have been established in Belarus. For example, in 2019, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University undertook the "China-Belarus Traditional Chinese Medicine Center," which held its inauguration ceremony at the regional hospital in Minsk. As of 2024, Belarus has established nine Chinese traditional medicine centers. Both parties have achieved certain results in the research and development of traditional medicine. For instance, the globally first pure plant-based drug for treating COVID-19, Qingyi Capsule, developed through China-Belarus cooperation, was granted emergency use authorization by the Belarusian Ministry of Health on October 14, 2021, becoming an important strategic drug for Belarus.

Medical Equipment Cooperation

Some Chinese medical equipment companies have reached cooperation intentions with Belarus. For example, by the end of 2023, Xinhua Medical's Yingde Bio Company signed a contract for the comprehensive technical equipment supply for a new 50T blood product factory in Belarus with the Belarusian Blood and Medical Biological Science Practice Center. Xinhua Medical has become the exclusive supplier of process equipment for this project, providing services such as concept design, detailed design, process equipment, digital solutions, and validation.

New Opportunities and Developments in China-Belarus Medical Cooperation

China and Belarus maintain a good political relationship, and under the "Belt and Road" initiative, cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen. In 2024, the relationship between China and Belarus was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, providing a solid foundation for cooperation in various fields, including pharmaceuticals. As the implementation of the "Belt and Road" initiative deepens and the construction of the Health Silk Road advances, the two sides will further enhance cooperation in pharmaceutical policy coordination, market opening, scientific and technological collaboration, and talent cultivation, presenting a very promising outlook. In the future, China-Belarus medical cooperation is expected to achieve new developments in several areas:

Market Potential in Belarus and Surrounding Regions

As an important country in Eastern Europe, Belarus has a pharmaceutical market with considerable potential. Cooperation with Belarus in pharmaceuticals can not only meet local market demands but also leverage Belarus's geographical advantages to expand into surrounding markets through registration in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

The EAEU is an economic union comprising Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. The goal of the union is to achieve the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor within the union by 2025 and to implement coordinated economic policies.

In this context, integrated registration has been officially implemented. Currently, Belarus follows the EAEU registration pathway and no longer issues separate national registration certificates. Manufacturers can apply to any one of the countries in the union (the recommending country), and once the reviewing body of that country approves the application, the approval results will be shared with other countries (the reference countries), allowing for a single certification review that grants access to all countries within the union.

Strengthening Cooperation in the Pharmaceutical Industry Chain

By jointly building pharmaceutical industrial parks and cooperating on the development of new drugs and medical equipment, a complete industry chain from research and development to production and sales can be established. Particularly, joint research and development projects targeting common diseases in Belarus, such as cardiovascular diseases, can be undertaken to share research outcomes. The legal requirements for drug distribution in Belarus are consistent with those of the European Union, providing local pharmaceutical manufacturers with a certain advantage in entering the EU market. Belarusian companies can offer Chinese enterprises sales channels and logistics services for drugs in the European market, facilitating mutual expansion into the European market.

Promoting Traditional Medicine Exchange

The people of Belarus have a certain understanding and recognition of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with practices like acupuncture and tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) being well established in the country. Belarus has favorable natural conditions and a variety of medicinal plants widely used in modern medicine. Strengthening cooperation in the field of traditional medicine between China and Belarus can promote the application and popularization of TCM in Belarus and facilitate the integration of traditional and modern medicine. For example, joint clinical research can be conducted on common diseases and difficult conditions, comparing clinical practices in traditional medicine from both countries to validate the value of traditional medicine. Together, standards and norms for traditional medicine in both countries can be developed to ensure the quality and safety of traditional medical treatments.

In summary, China-Belarus medical cooperation has achieved fruitful results in the past, and the future development prospects are broad. Both sides should continue to strengthen communication and collaboration, jointly address challenges, and promote continuous new developments in medical cooperation, making greater contributions to the health and well-being of the people of both countries.