by Xinhua writer Shao Haijun

THE HAGUE, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China has evolved from a key market into one of the global innovation hubs for Royal Philips, thanks to China's strong capability of scale innovation, Roy Jakobs, chief executive officer (CEO) of the leading health technology company, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Philips has been in China for over 100 years -- we are deeply rooted in the country as a health technology partner," Jakobs said, adding that the company now firmly regards China as a "home market."

Following the strategy of "In China, For China, For the World," Philips has built a comprehensive presence spanning the entire value chain -- from research and development (R&D) and manufacturing to commercial operations, sales, services and partnerships in China, ensuring the company is fully embedded in the country's healthcare ecosystem, Jakobs said.

China, with a vast market and rapidly advancing digital infrastructure, has the capability to scale innovation quickly, and this environment provides strong support for the development and deployment of healthcare technologies, including Royal Philips, according to Jakobs.

Royal Philips, headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, has been engaged in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health, with services in more than 100 countries.

In October last year, Philips announced the establishment of its China Research and Innovation Headquarters in Beijing, China, to coordinate regional R&D centers and accelerate the localization of solutions. Meanwhile, its Suzhou site in east China's Jiangsu Province integrates research and development, manufacturing and global export functions, while its Shenyang site in north China's Liaoning Province serves as a global hub for CT innovation.

"This footprint demonstrates China's role as a source of global innovation," he said.

In the eyes of Jakobs, China's healthcare sector is transitioning from scale to quality, and from disease treatment to more proactive health management -- a shift he described as "a key driver of sustainable healthcare innovation," and artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a central role in this transformation.

"By combining our global capabilities with China's speed and innovation vitality, we can further expand the reach and effectiveness of these solutions," Jakobs said.

Looking ahead, Philips plans to deepen cooperation with China in areas such as digital health, AI-driven healthcare solutions, medical imaging and telemedicine. The company also sees strong opportunities in green healthcare development and capacity-building for medical professionals, aligning with China's sustainability goals and policy frameworks.

"Our approach is to stay deeply rooted in China," Jakobs said, describing it as a strategic choice that enables the company to "remain resilient, relevant and impactful both locally and globally." ■