Employees of Betta Pharmaceuticals work on a drug packaging line in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. WANG GANG/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

Chinese firms can accelerate clinical trials and bring their drugs to market faster with more supportive policies, challenging foreign monopolies and positioning themselves as leaders in global biopharma, said a national political adviser on the sidelines of the two sessions that ended on Tuesday.

Ding Lieming, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairman of Betta Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd, a leading innovative biopharma firm, recalled a pivotal moment in his company's rise in an interview with China Daily. In 2005, Betta faced a significant roadblock while submitting a clinical trial application for its oncology drug.

The approval process at that time took up to two years, a timeline that hindered the company's R&D efforts. After turning to the Zhejiang provincial government for support, Betta's request was expedited, and approval was cut to just seven months.

"As competition in the biopharma industry intensifies globally, China is leveraging its growing capabilities to take on established foreign players and reshape the global market," Ding said.

The company has set its sights on global markets, Ding added. In December, the United States approved Ensartinib, making it the first small-molecule targeted therapy for lung cancer independently developed and globally launched by a Chinese company.

"We have also begun filing for approval of such drugs in Europe, marking a significant milestone in the company's international expansion," he disclosed.

Founded in 2003, Betta has championed homegrown innovation, focusing on developing therapies that can compete internationally. Conmana, the company's flagship product and China's first small-molecule targeted cancer treatment, was approved in 2011 and has already improved the lives of over 700,000 lung cancer patients.

While China's pharmaceutical industry is accelerating its global presence, Ding said that hurdles still remain, particularly in financing.

He said: "Greater cooperation between government-led funds and industry investors is needed to bolster confidence in the pharmaceutical sector. It is also important to create flexible investment mechanisms and adopt long-term strategies to nurture patient capital that supports extended innovation cycles."

Despite these challenges, Ding stressed the need to strengthen China's innovation ecosystem by fostering closer ties between academic research institutions and the pharmaceutical industry.

To succeed on the global stage, Ding advocates a dual strategy: continuing to prioritize homegrown innovation, especially in cutting-edge fields like small-molecule targeted drugs, gene therapy and immunotherapy, while deepening international partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies, research institutions and regulatory agencies.

Looking ahead, Ding said there were immense opportunities in leveraging China's advantages — its vast patient base, efficient supply chains and rapidly evolving approval processes.

"Technological innovation is reshaping the global biopharma landscape," Ding said. "For Chinese companies to succeed, they must fully integrate into the international innovation ecosystem and challenge established global players head-on."