Across China: Cross-border medical travel prospers in NE China city
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E-mail Xinhua, April 02, 2025
CHANGCHUN, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Alexei Leonov, 57, satisfied his stomach with a balanced and healthy meal after receiving a basic health check at the Hunchun Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Hospital in this northeast Chinese city bordering Russia.
Located in the east of Jilin Province, the city of Hunchun has emerged as a popular medical travel destination for Russian tourists. Leonov came with a tour group, which can enter China visa-free.
Leonov received TCM massage and acupuncture therapy, while also experiencing Chinese culture, including calligraphy, in the hospital's resort hotel. He was particularly impressed by the evening service involving the soaking of his feet in water containing a special TCM formula -- which relaxed his body and mind before sleep.
"I don't have a serious illness, but I have rheumatism, and recuperating here gives me both physical and mental relaxation. I plan to come here again in the second half of the year," the Russian tourist said.
The resort chosen by Leonov is the hospital's nursing service center, which was built last year to cope with the medical needs of a rising number of Russian tourists.
"The center receives more than 80 Russian tourists a day at peak time, many of whom come with their family, stay for a week or two, and recuperate while playing," said Liu Guangliang, vice president of the hospital.
Russian tourists are fully occupied during their week-long stay, engaging in activities such as hiking and bird watching, as well as customized TCM health care services at the hospital.
Liu said it is cold in Russia in winter, and the hospital has formulated customized TCM health care plans and a nutritious diet to help heal and boost the health of its Russian visitors. For example, ginseng stewed chicken is one of the soups recommended and provided by the hospital.
Russian tourists receive barrier-free medical services at the hospital's international department, where Russian-speaking guides provide translation throughout the health check and outpatient service processes.
Even the remote village of Piyanshan Hot Spring in the city of Longjing, which is located more than 100 kilometers from Hunchun, has shared in this booming medical travel spree by Russian tourists.
The village's mineral spring deposits, stemming from the 2,500-meter deep rock formation of the Changbai Mountains, is believed to have therapeutic value.
"In addition to the hot spring water, we also offer pools with TCM, red wine, milk and fruit to cater to tourists. Many Russian tourist groups add the hot spring to their itinerary," said Zhang Huan, general manager of the hot spring resort.
Russian tourist Irina Kostyrko is a frequent medical traveler to Hunchun. At a downtown TCM regimen shop, she lay on her stomach on a massage bed, while a practitioner held a lit moxa stick and hovered it above the acupuncture points in her lumbar spine as part of the treatment.
Kostyrko said she felt relief from lumbar pain after the therapy. She visits Hunchun twice a year for moxibustion treatment.
"I have sciatica and lumbar spine stenosis. My friend recommended the moxibustion for me, and the effect is particularly good," she said, while adding that this time she had brought her husband with her.
"China medical travel to Hunchun is now very popular in Russia. This time, I'm going to stay for a few more days," she said.
Having a permanent population of only 200,000, Hunchun is a very international city-- with road signs and the names of stores written in Chinese, Russian and Korean languages. Since 2023, mutual visa-free group travel between China and Russia has been in effect.
Kostyrko told Xinhua that Russian medical travelers greatly value TCM therapy, which is particularly effective for treating pain resulting from the long and very cold Russian winter, which can lead to bone and joint diseases and aches.
"We receive thousands of Russian tourists a year, from places like Moscow, St. Petersburg and more. Most of them have problems such as cervical spondylosis and scapulohumeral periarthritis," said Han Shiming, head of Hanyijiu, the TCM regimen shop.
Many Russian tourists were seen sitting in its doorway waiting for TCM therapy. Notably, there are several pennants written in Russian hanging on the wall of the shop, with comments which translate to "superb medical skills" and "magical Chinese medicine." Such pennants are normally presented by patients to doctors in Chinese hospitals after the patients' illnesses are healed.
In the Hunchun Euroasia Diagnostic and Medical Center, Russian tourists were seen queuing outside both its CT room and outpatient departments.
A patient from Vladivostok who gave her name as Mira, said she just had a tooth filling done at the hospital.
"I'm so grateful that the surgeon solved my tooth pain. There is no need to make an appointment to see a doctor here, and I am satisfied with the medical equipment and materials," Mira said.
Many Russian tourists call Hunchun "the second hometown," said Kostyrko. "Whether it's treating diseases or healing my body and mind, the city makes me feel safe, and I will keep coming back." Enditem
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