10-Oct-14 Toshiba has announced its business expansion strategy for Southeast Asia, which includes investing USD1 billion over the next five years, and doubling its current sales to USD7 billion. It is building a new medical equipment plant in Malaysia and has recently positioned healthcare as one of its three main pillars of business. (image: MIS-Asia)

06-Oct-14 Korea's Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP) has selected 15 projects for investment including three in medical technology and 12 in the bio-health area. These include mobile heart rate monitoring devices, smart wheelchairs, a method to diagnose Internet and game addiction, and body-friendly bio-implants.

27-Aug-14 After piloting the first wholly foreign-owned hospital in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, China's Ministry of Commerce has announced that foreign investors will be allowed 100% ownership of hospitals in seven cities and provinces. Both greenfield and M&A investment will be permitted.

21-Mar-14 Korea has announced plans to become one of the top seven countries in the global medical device sector by 2020. This is reminiscent of the country's plan about 15 years ago to become one of the top three in mobile phones within ten years. It happened! Expect to see a lot more from Korean med tech firms in international markets.