China is expected to replace Japan as the world's second largest market for medical equipment in the next five to seven years, experts said.

 

Sources from a scientific forum on medical equipment that convened in Beijing over the weekend said China has been the world's third largest medical equipment market after the United States and Japan with a US$1.2 billion market value.

 

According to statistics released at the forum, by the end this year the value of China's medical equipment market is expected to reach US$1.7 billion.

 

The two-day forum was hosted by Philips Medical Systems, which convened more than 2,000 experts and businesses in the medical equipment sector.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2006)