The Uygur Traditional Medicine hospital has established an international medical department to treat patients from countries along the route of the proposed Silk Road Economic Belt. ZHU YI/CHINA DAILY

In addition to public hospitals, privately owned medical facilities in Xinjiang have also been eyeing the opportunities presented by the plan unveiled last year to transform the region into an important medical care hub.

The Halixin Hospital of Traditional Mongolian and Chinese Medicine, a private facility in Urumqi, has been treating patients from Central Asia for eight years, and almost all of the patients now come from outside China.

Unlike public facilities, private hospitals can create a recognizably homelike environment for their patients, so even the chef at Halixin is an Uzbek. More than 1,052 foreign patients were treated at the hospital last year, a huge increase from the 190 who visited in 2010.

"People in Central Asian countries often have large families, so we hope that once they've used our services they will tell a lot of people," Yu Gangshan, the hospital president, said.

Kazak national Tatyana Vassilyeva was resting on her bed watching a Kazak TV channel after a session of traditional Mongolian acupuncture. "I've been suffering from severe back pain. After 11 days of being treated with traditional Mongolian and Chinese medicines, the pain is under control. I feel very comfortable now," said the 67-year-old, who heard about the hospital from a friend.

Galina Gorenyok, 54, also from Kazakhstan, was sharing the room with Vassilyeva. Two years ago, she traveled to Dalian, a city in the south of Liaoning province, for treatment with traditional Chinese medicine, but said she preferred the services offered in Urumqi: "Dalian is quite far, and the cost of treatment there was higher than in Urumqi. The Halixin offers good healthcare and other services, such as translators who help the patients when they are being seen by the doctors."

Another Kazak, Nikolay Spinin, was having a foot massage in the hospital. He said he enjoyed the bitter taste of the traditional Chinese medicine he has been prescribed, describing it as "Chinese coffee", and he referred to the kneading action of the masseur as "happy pains".

"In between treatments, my wife and I often stroll around the neighborhood. She loves to shop and I enjoy watching the women square dancing," the 67-year-said. "I feel at home in Urumqi because the people are friendly and we have similar cultures."

Liu Chengyuan, deputy director of the Xinjiang Regional Health and Family Commission, said a detailed plan for establishing an international medical center on the Silk Road Economic Belt has already been submitted to the regional government for review.

According to the plan, within two years, at least 500 beds will be available for foreign nationals in five hospitals, which will receive funds to upgrade their international services.

Xinjiang will promote medical tourism in countries along the proposed economic belt, and also plans to set up a telemedical network with neighboring countries within five years that will enable Chinese experts to help local doctors with diagnosis of rare or complicated diseases.

"Better medical services will bring people's hearts closer. If Chinese doctors cure one foreign patient, that person's family will have good feelings about China. Of course, if the relatives of a country's president were treated and cured in China, it would make the ties between the two countries even stronger," Liu said.

Mao Weihua contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn