In China, accessing healthcare increasingly begins with a mobile app. Citizens can book hospital appointments through platforms like WeChat or Alipay, consult doctors via telemedicine, or even interact with AI avatars for medical advice on issues ranging from insomnia to diabetes. The Chinese government has actively promoted digital healthcare to address challenges such as the disparity in healthcare access between urban and rural areas and the need for a stronger primary care system. At the same time, China's pharmaceutical industry is experiencing a major shift, with more clinical trials being conducted there than in the U.S. and China accounting for half of global drug licensing deals, as Western pharmaceutical companies buy the rights to new medicines developed in China. Globally, the rise of China's health tech capabilities has sparked both admiration and skepticism. Ruby Wang, a physician and health tech consultant with experience in both China and abroad, explores these dynamics in her upcoming book, China Cure: The Rise of a Biotech, AI Medicine, and Global Health Superpower. Wang notes that Chinese society approaches AI in healthcare differently from the West, where technology is often an addition to an existing system. In China, digital infrastructure is more integrated, leading to broader acceptance of AI in healthcare. This approach is not unique to China; similar developments are also taking place in countries like Brazil, Kenya, and Ethiopia, where rapid development often requires immediate action rather than waiting for risks to be fully assessed. Chinese company Akeso recently developed a cancer drug that may be more effective than its Western counterparts. Major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer have committed billions of dollars to license cancer drug candidates from Chinese firms such as 3SBio and Innovent Biologics. Wang describes this as a "DeepSeek moment" in biotech, attributing China's rapid rise to decades of investment in talent, infrastructure, and research, supported by tax incentives, office space, and capital. China's large population ensures that no disease is rare, and its lower operational costs and hardworking workforce have contributed to this growth. This year, China's share of global drug out-licensing deals could reach 60%, with the proportion of global drugs originating from Chinese labs expected to increase in the coming years, unless restricted by laws such as the Biosecure Act, the COINS Act, and BINSA. China is strongest in oncology but less advanced in more complex areas like immunology. Additionally, Chinese biotech companies are less experienced in commercialization, often relying on Western firms like Pfizer to sell their drugs in international markets. The debate over whether to embrace drugs developed in China echoes previous pushback against Chinese electric vehicles, drones, and AI models. Wang argues that medicines should not be subject to tariffs, as access to them is a human right, and that collaboration across labs is essential for scientific progress. The Chinese government has identified brain-computer interfaces (BCI) as a strategic industry. China's Five-Year National Health Plan calls for breakthroughs in BCI alongside drugs, vaccines, and medical devices. The broader National Five-Year Plan designates BCI as a "future industry" with potential for economic growth. China has advantages across the ecosystem, including electronics and hardware supply chains, engineering and manufacturing capacity, major clinical centers, AI expertise, and strong state support for moving technologies from research into clinical use. While the U.S. remains stronger in some frontier invasive technologies, China has shown proficiency in compressing the distance between hardware, software, clinical deployment, regulation, and manufacturing. An example is the March 2026 approval of Neuracle's NEO system, the world's first commercial approval of an invasive BCI medical device. Wang is also excited about the hardware aspect of Chinese health technology, which includes products designed for wellness and social care, as well as highly specialized equipment like ultrasound imaging machines and surgical robots. These products are often cheaper and more scalable, making them valuable for developing countries. While the West often discusses China's growing influence in global health, Wang suggests that solutions effective in rural China could also work in Africa, highlighting the importance of considering China's recent health development history.