China-Australia health industry exchange meeting held in Guangming

On May 29, the China (Shenzhen•Guangming) – Australia (New South Wales) Life and Health Industry Exchange Meeting took place at Weiguang Life Science Park, marking a significant step in strengthening ties between Shenzhen and Australia’s leading life and health sectors.

Participants attend the exchange meeting in Guangming District on May 29. Photos by Shao Jingfeng

The event brought together prominent Australian companies specializing in biomedicine, digital healthcare, and health services with top medical enterprises, medical institutions, and investors from Shenzhen, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Co-organized by the New South Wales Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau, and hosted by the Guangming District Government, the meeting emphasized deepening resource integration, technology exchange, and exploring market opportunities to usher in a new chapter of Sino-Australian cooperation.

Bilateral cooperation

Since the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement was enacted a decade ago, bilateral cooperation has expanded across trade, industrial investment, and cultural exchanges. This event saw 14 New South Wales biomedical and medical device companies engage with local partners to explore investment, commercialization, and market expansion in China’s dynamic Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

New South Wales, home to Australia’s largest medical technology industry centered in Sydney, is recognized globally for medical research and biotech innovation. Leading companies including Cochlear, ResMed, and USCOM presented their projects and expressed strong interest in partnering with Chinese counterparts. Other participants, such as SNAC and SDIP Innovations, highlighted the region’s technological advantages and the value of cross-border knowledge sharing for advancing innovation and product localization.

Iman Manavitehrani, co-founder and CSO of SDIP Innovations, during a session with local media.

Guangming Science City, as the GBA Integrated National Science Center’s inaugural zone, has created a business-friendly environment with streamlined customs and supply chain integration. It has attracted over 1,500 multinational firms like GE Healthcare and Siemens, establishing itself as a strategic hub for global industrial and technological innovation.

The exchange deepened cooperation along the industry-academia-research-application chain, reinforcing Shenzhen’s role as an international model for industrial collaboration. Guangming District also pledged to support local companies entering Australian markets to achieve synergy in technology, capital, and market access.

Iman Manavitehrani, co-founder and CSO of SDIP Innovations, told local media that he was impressed by the industry ecosystem here.“With the emphasis from both the New South Wales government and the Shenzhen government, having this collaboration, I am sure we can invent many new innovations, commercialize them, and help people,” he said.

Guangming’s strong industrial foundation

Guangming has a strong industrial foundation in information technology, life sciences, and new materials, supported by robust funding and policies encouraging talent and cross-border collaboration. Shenzhen’s comprehensive pharmaceutical and medical device policies further bolster this ecosystem, focusing on R&D, AI applications, clinical trials, manufacturing, talent cultivation, and international expansion.

Within Guangming’s“3+3+1” industrial cluster framework, biomedicine and high-end medical devices stand out. By 2024, the biomedicine cluster includes 35 major enterprises with an output exceeding 9.5 billion yuan, while over 800 high-end medical device companies contribute to a 50 billion yuan industry, featuring recognized specialized clusters in diagnostics and therapeutic equipment.

Participants attend the exchange meeting in Guangming District on May 29. 

Following the exchange meeting, Australian entrepreneurs visited local innovation centers, hospitals, and tech firms to witness firsthand Guangming Science City’s vibrant innovation ecosystem.

Guangming, Shenzhen’s youngest district, is rapidly advancing toward becoming a world-class science city. With 22 major innovation platforms and collaborations among leading universities, research institutes, and enterprises, the district provides fertile ground for cutting-edge international scientific cooperation. Home to two provincial labs and two major research universities, Guangming has attracted nearly 190,000 professionals, including over 50 academicians, reinforcing its position as a hub of talent and innovation.