"Anchored in Singapore, Deepening Presence in SE Asia": Biomedical Firms Chart a New Global Course in Beijing

On August 6, the seminar "Anchored in Singapore, Deepening in Southeast Asia" was held in Beijing. The event brought together representatives from government, consulting, legal, and financial sectors to provide full-chain solutions for Chinese biomedical and medical device enterprises seeking global expansion.

Strategic Hub: Beyond a Mere "Geographic Node"

Hao Tian, Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Beijing, highlighted that Singapore has become a critical hub for medical innovation. She noted that the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is a global reference regulatory agency with the highest maturity level (ML4). Notably, the recent renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between HSA and China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has expanded cooperation to cutting-edge fields like gene and cell therapy. Hao recommended the "Singapore+1" strategy, using Singapore as a regional headquarters and R&D center while leveraging neighboring regions for manufacturing to optimize costs.

Hao Tian, Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB)

Ecosystem Integration: Physical Landing to Ecosystem Integration

Zhou Fan, Director and Chief Strategy Officer of FOZL Group, emphasized the transition from "physical landing" to "ecosystem integration." Citing their experience assisting over 3,000 companies, she highlighted Singapore's unique tripartite model, which offering a stable business environment. She advised enterprises to deeply integrate into local networks rather than treating overseas expansion merely as a business trip.

Zhou Fan, Director and Chief Strategy Officer of FOZL Group

Spatial Solutions: HQ + Base Model

Lv Sha, Deputy General Manager of Market Leasing at CapitaLand (China), introduced the "HQ + Base" model to address site selection challenges. By leveraging CapitaLand's asset footprint in Singapore and the ASEAN region, enterprises can establish HQs in Singapore while setting up production bases in neighboring countries. This model helps mitigate risks related to land-use approvals and ESG compliance through professional operations.

Lv Sha, Deputy General Manager of Market Leasing at CapitaLand (China)

Legal Compliance: Avoiding Hidden Risks

Wong Yienting, Director at Drew & Napier, provided practical legal advice. He warned that Singapore law does not recognize private agreements for "same share, different rights"; companies must establish legally establish different share classes to achieve this control structure. He also cautioned medical device firms against transferring registration ownership entirely to distributors to avoid falling into a passive position.

Wong Yienting, Director at Drew & Napier

Financial Services: Unlocking Capital Flows

Zheng Ying, Head of Cross-Border Financial Services at OCBC, highlighted the bank's "1.0 to 3.0" full lifecycle services. Focusing on the complex regulatory environments in Southeast Asia, OCBC provides customized cross-border financing to solve the compliance challenges of getting funds "in and out" of regulated markets. Beyond banking, OCBC proactively connect clients with local medical industry resources to empower their growth.

Zheng Ying, Head of Cross-Border Financial Services at OCBC

Looking Ahead: A New Chapter of Globalization

Through multidimensional analysis, this seminar charted a clear roadmap for Chinese biomedical and medical device enterprises venturing abroad. As a comprehensive support ecosystem covering strategy, compliance, site selection, and finance matures, China's medical "intelligent manufacturing" sector is accelerating its break beyond geographical boundaries. This represents a leap from simply "going global" to truly "integrating locally" and then "moving up the value chain." Looking ahead, the sector will deepen mutual trust and collaborate closely with global partners to jointly promote the high-quality and sustainable development of the healthcare industry.(Lu Jia'ao)(Photo provided by the organizer)