Xi'an Gaoxin Hospital opened for a trial operation just days ago in Xi'an, the capital city of west China's Shaanxi Province. The Xi'an Shenxin Venture Capital Co., LTD and the Cyber International Company of British Virgin Islands invested 376 million yuan (US$45.37 million) and 324 million yuan (US$39.1 million) respectively in the hospital.

With a total investment of 700 million yuan (US$84.47 million), the hospital is now the largest joint venture medial facility since China permitted foreign capital into the health industry. It is also the first joint venture hospital in west China.

The hospital is a key project for Shaanxi Province, covering over 60 mu (10 acres) and providing over 50,000 square meters (59,800 square yards) of floor space. The hospital has 45 clinical and medical departments and 760 sickbeds offering highly advanced medical amenities.

Wang Chongyou, vice chairman of the hospital board, said the hospital will provide first class services with a human touch and will refer to their patients as "guests."

In 1989 the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation jointly published regulations allowing the construction of joint venture and cooperative medical institutions. To date, 200 such hospitals have been developed.

(china.org.cn by Feng Yikun November 1, 2002)