A global medical device center for training, exhibitions, trading, and innovation was unveiled on May 25 in Shanghai's Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone.

The A3 International Medical Technology Innovation Exchange Center, or A3 project, also began operations as one of the first key projects to enter the center. Led by Boston Scientific in partnership with Danaher and Siemens Healthineers, the project is Boston Scientific's first open medical technology innovation hub worldwide.

Core functions of the global medical device center

The new center will focus on three core functions: global medical device training, exhibition and trading of advanced products and technologies, and cross-border R&D transformation services.

For training, the center will build world-class facilities and offer internationally advanced courses in medical theory and medical device operation for clinicians, medical students, and technical professionals from China and overseas.

For product exhibition and trading, the center will showcase cutting-edge medical devices while providing support for local registration, market entry, commercialization, and export services. It will also host exhibitions and technical exchange events to help high-end medical devices enter domestic and international markets.

For cross-border R&D transformation, the center will integrate resources to support global biomedical R&D institutions. Services will cover cross-border talent support, the movement of R&D materials into and out of the zone, cross-border R&D data flows, and regulatory review and registration guidance.

About the A3 project

The A3 project, led by Boston Scientific in partnership with Danaher and Siemens Healthineers, focuses on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, oncology, and neuromodulation. It aims to provide integrated solutions across the patient care pathway, from screening and precision diagnosis to treatment planning, minimally invasive intervention, and follow-up management.

The project brings together advanced technologies, real-world applications, and AI-driven capabilities. It connects global innovation resources with local clinical experience and industrial commercialization capabilities, while supporting medical professionals from China and countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative through a training system that combines on-site facilities, remote connectivity, and intelligent support.

At the launch event, the Boston Scientific Asia-Pacific Brain-Computer Interface Innovation Training Base, led by Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, was also established.

Support from Eastern Hub IBCZ

The business cooperation zone combines the functions of a comprehensive bonded zone, a customs supervision area, and a port-restricted area, giving it advantages in cross-border mobility, efficient goods flow, and the clustering of innovation resources.

Eligible overseas participants can enter the zone without a visa and stay for up to 30 days, with extensions available, making it easier for medical professionals to take part in training programs upon arrival.

Eligible overseas medical devices and consumables entering the zone can benefit from tax-exempt and bonded treatment and are exempt from certain license and certificate requirements, reducing the costs of exhibitions, training, and trading activities.

By the end of 2025, the bonded area had attracted 204 medical device-related companies, including 61 of the world's top 100 medical device firms. Annual imports of medical instruments and devices accounted for nearly half of China's total.

Source: Shanghai Observer