Construction of the mainland's first Taiwan-funded hospital will begin this November in Dongguan, Guangdong Province. The Pearl River Delta city has the highest population of Taiwanese residents on the mainland.

The hospital will cost more than US$70 million, an official from the Dongguan Bureau of Public Health said on Thursday.

"A shareholding hospital management company will operate and manage the hospital, which will later conduct a worldwide search for a president. Candidates do not have to be Chinese," said the official.

The health bureau expects the hospital to attract medical experts, doctors and management personnel from around the world.

More than 150 million yuan (US$18.2 million) is budgeted to import advanced medical equipment and technology. However, fees for care at the new hospital will be established according to levels set by local pricing departments.

The 500-bed hospital should open for patients before the end of 2006.

About 80 percent of the construction costs will come from the local Dongguan Association of Taiwan Business People. A hospital on Taiwan Island is funding the remainder.

The new hospital will provide medical services to the city's 100,000-plus Taiwan investors and their families and employees, as well as to foreigners and local residents.

The hospital plans to set up clinics or outpatient departments in all 32 townships around the city.

Zhang Hanwen, an official from the Dongguan Association of Taiwan Business People, said the new hospital will help raise medical treatment standards in Dongguan and improve the city's investment climate.

Dongguan has attracted more than 57,000 Taiwan-funded companies and joint ventures with a contractual investment of more than US$8 billion.

(China Daily August 20, 2004)