Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (CCM) 20-F2023 FY Annual report (foreign)

Yes ☐ No ☒

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

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† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.

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If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.

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Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b).

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Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

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If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow.

☐ Item 17 ☐ Item 18

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If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ☐ No ☒

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(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court.

Yes ☐ No ☐

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CONVENTIONS THAT APPLY TO THIS ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 20-F

Unless otherwise indicated, references in this annual report on Form 20-F to:

Names of certain companies provided in this annual report are translated or transliterated from their original Chinese legal names.

Discrepancies in any table between the amounts identified as total amounts and the sum of the amounts listed therein are due to rounding.

Our reporting currency is the Renminbi. This annual report contains translations of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to Renminbi in this annual report were made at a rate of RMB7.0999 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect as of December 29, 2023 as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. We make no representation that any Renminbi or U.S. dollar amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through direct regulation of the conversion of Renminbi into foreign exchange and through restrictions on foreign trade.

Concord Medical is not a Chinese operating company but a Cayman Islands holding company with operations primarily conducted through our PRC subsidiaries. Under this holding company structure, investors in the ADSs are purchasing equity interests in the Cayman Islands holding company and obtaining indirect ownership interests in the Chinese operating companies. While we do not operate in an industry that is currently subject to foreign ownership limitations in China, PRC regulatory authorities could decide to limit foreign ownership in our industry in the future, in which case there could be a risk that we would be unable to do business in China as we are currently structured. In such event, despite our efforts to restructure to comply with the then applicable PRC laws and regulations in order to continue our operations in China, we may experience material changes in our business and results of operations, our attempts may prove to be futile due to factors beyond our control, and the value of the ADSs you invest in may significantly decline or become worthless. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could materially adversely affect us.”

We face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties associated with being based in or having our operations primarily in China and the complex and evolving PRC laws and regulations. For example, we face risks associated with regulatory approvals on offerings conducted overseas by and foreign investment in China-based issuers, and oversight on cybersecurity, data privacy and personal information. These risks may cause us to make material changes to our operations, may limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, and/or may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. For a detailed description of risks related to doing business in China, please refer to risks disclosed under “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China.”

Pursuant to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCAA”) and related regulations, if we have filed an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) has determined that it is unable to inspect and investigate completely, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) will identify us as a “Commission-identified Issuer,” and the trading of our securities on any U.S. national securities exchanges, as well as any over-the-counter trading in the United States, will be prohibited if we are identified as a Commission-identified Issuer for two consecutive years. Our financial statements contained in the annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 have been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm that is located in China and is among the public accounting firms registered with the PCAOB headquartered in the PRC that are subject to PCAOB’s determination issued on December 16, 2021 of having been unable to be inspected or investigated completely by the PCAOB. In May 2022, in connection with its implementation of the HFCAA, the SEC conclusively named our company as a “Commission-identified Issuer” following the filing of our annual report on Form 20-F with the SEC on April 29, 2022. In August 2022, the PCAOB, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) and the Ministry of Finance of the PRC signed a Statement of Protocol (the “Statement of Protocol”), which establishes a specific and accountable framework for the PCAOB to conduct inspections and investigations of PCAOB-governed accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2022. The PCAOB Board vacated its previous 2021 determinations that the PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to be able to satisfactorily conduct inspections of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainties and depends on a number of factors out of our and our auditor’s control. The PCAOB continues to demand complete access in mainland China and Hong Kong moving forward and pursues ongoing investigations and initiate new investigations as needed. The PCAOB has also indicated that it will act immediately to consider the need to issue new determinations with the HFCAA if needed. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect and investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in China and we fail to retain another registered public accounting firm that the PCAOB is able to inspect and investigate completely, or if we otherwise fail to meet the PCAOB’s requirements, our ADSs will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), and will not be permitted for trading over the counter in the United States under the HFCAA and related regulations. For details, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The ADSs will be delisted and our shares and ADSs will be prohibited from trading in the over-the-counter market under the HFCCA if the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely auditors located in China for two consecutive years. The delisting of the ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.”

ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands to take advantage of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company:

However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include, but are not limited to, the following:

Our constitutional documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.

Substantially all of our current operations are conducted in China, and substantially all of our assets are located in China. A majority of our directors and officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon us or such persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

We have appointed Corporation Service Company as our agent to receive service of process with respect to any action brought against us in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under the federal securities laws of the United States or of any state in the United States or any action brought against us in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the County of New York under the securities laws of the State of New York.

Our counsel as to Cayman Islands law and Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law, our counsel as to PRC law, have advised us, respectively, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands and the PRC, respectively, would:

Our counsel as to Cayman Islands law has further advised us that:

Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law has advised us further that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between the PRC and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions, provided that the foreign judgments do not violate the basic principles of laws of the PRC or its sovereignty, security or social and public interests. As there is currently no treaty or other form of reciprocity between the PRC and the United States governing the recognition of judgments, there is uncertainty on whether and/or upon what basis a PRC court would enforce judgments rendered by courts in the United States.

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PART I

ITEM 1.IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS

Not applicable.

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ITEM 2.OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE

Not applicable.

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ITEM 3.KEY INFORMATION

PRC Regulatory Risks and Requirements

We face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties related to doing business in China as we conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our PRC subsidiaries. We are subject to complex and evolving laws and regulations in China. We and our PRC subsidiaries are required to obtain certain licenses, permits and approvals from relevant governmental authorities in China in order to operate our business. As of the date of this annual report, as advised by our PRC counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law, we and our PRC subsidiaries have obtained the requisite licenses, permits and approvals from the PRC government authorities that are material for our business operations, including, among others, medical institution practicing licenses, large medical equipment procurement licenses, radiotherapy permits and radiation safety permits. Given the uncertainties of interpretation and implementation of relevant laws and regulations and the enforcement practice by relevant government authorities, and the promulgation of new laws and regulations and amendment to the existing ones, we may be required to obtain additional licenses, permits, filings, or approvals for our business operations in the future. We cannot assure you that we or our PRC subsidiaries will be able to obtain, in a timely manner or at all, or maintain such licenses, permits or approvals, and we or our PRC subsidiaries may also inadvertently conclude that such permissions or approvals are not required. Any lack of or failure to maintain requisite licenses, permits or approvals applicable to us or our PRC subsidiaries may have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We conduct our business in a heavily regulated industry.”

Furthermore, in connection with our historical issuance of securities to foreign investors, under currently effective PRC laws, regulations, and regulatory rules, as of the date of this annual report, as advised by our PRC counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law, we (1) are not required to obtain permissions from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”), (2) are not required to proactively go through cybersecurity review by the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”), and (3) have not been requested to obtain such permissions by any PRC authority.

However, the PRC government has indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, and initiated various regulatory actions and made various public statements, some of which are published with little advance notice. For example, we face risks associated with regulatory approvals on overseas offerings and oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy, which may impact our ability to conduct certain business, accept foreign investments, or list and conduct offerings on a U.S. or other foreign stock exchange. These risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of the ADSs, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless.

On December 28, 2021, the CAC and various other PRC regulatory authorities jointly revised and promulgated the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (the “Review Measures”), which became effective on February 15, 2022. Pursuant to the Review Measures, “critical information infrastructure operators” who purchase network products and services that affect or may affect national security shall be subject to a cybersecurity review, and any “network platform operators” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should also be subject to the cybersecurity review requirements. The Review Measures also provide that if a “network platform operator” holding personal information of more than one million users intends to go public in a foreign country, it must apply for a cybersecurity review. In addition, the relevant PRC government authorities may initiate cybersecurity review if they determine certain network products, services, or data processing activities affect or may affect national security. We currently do not have over one million users’ personal information and do not anticipate that we will be collecting over one million users’ personal information in the foreseeable future. In addition, as of the date of this annual report, we have not been informed by any PRC government authorities that we will be deemed as a critical information infrastructure operator or a network platform operator engaging in relevant data processing activities which affect or may affect national security of the PRC, nor have we been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity review made by the CAC. However, if we are not able to comply with the cybersecurity and data privacy requirements in a timely manner, or at all, we may be subject to government enforcement actions and investigations, fines, penalties, or suspension of our non-compliant operations, among other sanctions, which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Measures of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Overseas Listing Trial Measures”) and the related guidelines, which became effective on March 31, 2023. The Overseas Listing Trial Measures has comprehensively improved and reformed the existing regulatory regime for overseas offering and listing of securities by PRC domestic companies and regulated both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing of securities by PRC domestic companies by adopting a filing-based regulatory regime. The CSRC provided further notice related to the Overseas Listing Trial Measures that companies that had already been listed on overseas stock exchanges prior to March 31, 2023 are not required to make immediate filings for its listing, but are required to make filings for subsequent offerings in accordance with the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, i.e., to file with the CSRC within three business days after the closing of such subsequent offerings. As we had been listed on NYSE prior to March 31, 2023, as advised by our PRC counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law, we are not required to make any filing with the CSRC in connection with our listing. However, we will be subject to the filing requirements with the CSRC if we conduct subsequent offerings. As the Overseas Listing Trial Measures was newly published, and there is uncertainty with respect to the filing requirements and implementation, we cannot assure you that we would be able to complete the filing procedures, obtain the approvals or complete other compliance procedures in a timely manner, or at all, or that any completion of filing or approval or other compliance procedures would not be rescinded. Any such failure would subject us to sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities.

Cash Flows Through Our Organization

Concord Medical is a Cayman Islands holding company with no material operations of its own. We conduct our operations primarily through our PRC subsidiaries. As a result, although other means are available for us to obtain financing at the holding company level, the ability of Concord Medical to pay dividends to the shareholders and to service any debt it may incur may depend upon dividends primarily paid by our PRC subsidiaries. If any of our PRC subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf, the instruments governing such debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends to Concord Medical. In addition, under PRC laws and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries are permitted to pay dividends to Concord Medical only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Furthermore, our PRC subsidiaries are required to make appropriations to certain statutory reserve funds or may make appropriations to certain discretionary funds, which are not distributable as cash dividends except in the event of a solvent liquidation of the PRC subsidiaries.

Under PRC laws and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries are subject to certain restrictions with respect to paying dividends or otherwise transferring any of their net assets to us. Remittance of dividends by a wholly foreign-owned enterprise out of China is also subject to examination by the banks designated by State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”). These restrictions are benchmarked against the paid-up capital and the statutory reserve funds of our PRC subsidiaries. For risks relating to the fund flows of our operations in China, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to use our revenues effectively and the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to obtain financing” and “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We rely on dividends paid by our subsidiaries for our cash needs, and any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us could materially adversely affect our ability to conduct our business.” In 2021, 2022 and 2023, no dividends or distributions were made to Concord Medical by our PRC subsidiaries.

In August 2022, the PCAOB, the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance of the PRC signed the Statement of Protocol, which establishes a specific and accountable framework for the PCAOB to conduct inspections and investigations of PCAOB-governed accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2022. The PCAOB Board vacated its previous 2021 determinations that the PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. For this reason, we do not expect to be identified as a “Commission-identified Issuer” under the HFCAA after we file this annual report on Form 20-F. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to be able to satisfactorily conduct inspections of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainties and depends on a number of factors out of our and our auditor’s control. The PCAOB continues to demand complete access in mainland China and Hong Kong moving forward and pursues ongoing investigations and initiate new investigations as needed. The PCAOB has also indicated that it will act immediately to consider the need to issue new determinations with the HFCAA if needed.

Our financial statements contained in the annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 have been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm that is located in China and is among the public accounting firms registered with the PCAOB headquartered in the PRC that are subject to PCAOB’s determination issued on December 16, 2021 of having been unable to be inspected or investigated completely by the PCAOB.

If the PCAOB is unable to inspect and investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in China and we fail to retain another registered public accounting firm that the PCAOB is able to inspect and investigate completely, or if we otherwise fail to meet the PCAOB’s requirements, our ADSs will be delisted from the NYSE, and will not be permitted for trading over the counter in the United States under the HFCAA and related regulations. For details, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The ADSs will be delisted and our shares and ADSs will be prohibited from trading in the over-the-counter market under the HFCCA if the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely auditors located in China for two consecutive years. The delisting of the ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.”

A.[Reserved]

B.Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not applicable.

C.Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds

Not applicable.

D.Risk Factors

Summary of Risk Factors

Our business is subject to a number of risks, including risks that may prevent us from achieving our business objectives or may adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and prospects. These risks are discussed more fully below and include, but are not limited to, risks related to:

Risks related to our business and industry

Risks related to doing business in China

We face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties related to being based in and having substantially all of our operations in China, and therefore are subject to risks associated with doing business in China generally. Risks and uncertainties related to doing business in China could result in a material adverse change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. Such risks and uncertainties include, but not limited to, the following:

Risks related to our ordinary shares and ADSs

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We plan to establish and operate proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics that will be majority-owned by us and are subject to significant risks.

As part of our growth strategy, we plan to establish and operate proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics that will focus on providing a variety of radiotherapy services as well as diagnostic imaging services, chemotherapy and surgery. For example, we have completed the construction of the proton center of our Guangzhou Hospital, and plan to offer proton therapy treatment services with which we have had no prior experience. In addition, we expect to complete the construction of the proton center of Shanghai Hospital deployed with the proton equipment in 2025.

Since we have limited experience in operating our own centers and hospitals, or in providing many of the services that we plan to offer in such centers and hospitals, such as chemotherapy treatments, surgical procedures or proton therapy treatments, we may not be able to provide as high a level of service quality for those treatment options as compared to the other treatments that we offer at our network of centers, which may result in damage to our reputation and growth prospects.

In addition, we may not be successful in recruiting qualified medical professionals to effectively provide the services that we intend to offer in our own centers and hospitals. Although our brand name is well known among referring doctors, patients are not familiar with our brand as we do not carry our own brand name in our network of centers under our existing agreements with our hospital partners. Therefore, when we establish our own centers and hospitals under our brand name, we may not be able to immediately gain wide acceptance among patients and, thus, may be unable to attract a sufficient number of patients to our new centers and hospitals.

We may encounter difficulties in successfully introducing new services or upgrading existing services in a timely and cost-effective manner, which could materially and adversely affect our business and operations.

Based on our existing medical equipment and consumable sales services, we have integrated our online and offline medical resources into our cloud system solutions consisting of various cloud platforms, to offer our hospital clients a range of cloud-based services. In particular, in 2020 and 2021, we launched Jiahe Feiyun Intelligent Radiation Therapy Cloud Service Platform, Jiahe Yunying Remote Imaging Information Diagnosis Platform and Jiahe Cloud Asset Management Platform. It is difficult to predict the needs and demands of our clients. Our new services may not be well received by our clients, and newly introduced services may not achieve expected results. Furthermore, the cloud system solutions require specialized knowledge of the industry and comprehensive understanding of the market of medical equipment and consumables. We may misjudge the trend of the industry and the market, and may not be able to develop the appropriate solutions for our clients. The efforts to introduce new services may require substantial investments of additional human capital and financial resources. If we fail to improve our existing services or introduce new ones in a timely or cost-effective manner, our ability to attract and retain clients may be impaired, and our results of operations and prospects may be adversely affected.

We plan to establish and operate our internet hospital which could be subject to significant risks.

We launched our internet hospital in May 2021, which acts as a one-stop portal connecting cancer patients with comprehensive healthcare resources with respect to online consultation and integrated health management. We will also expand the service scope and capability of our internet hospital. As this is a new business opportunity with which we have little experience, we may not be able to attract and maintain the patients. The future profitability of our internet hospital relies on our capability of building our brand and improving our services and brand awareness. If our new service offerings do not meet users’ expectation or if we fail to provide superior user experience or maintain users’ trust in our brand, our business and reputation may be adversely affected. Failure of in-house medical team or external doctors to provide adequate and proper medical services through our internet hospital may have an adverse effect on our reputation, business and results of operations. Furthermore, the online healthcare service market is immature and volatile, and if it does not develop, if it develops more slowly than we expect, or if our services do not drive user engagement, the growth of our business will be harmed.

In addition, the performance of our internet hospital will rely heavily on our marketing and business developing strategy. The marketing activities of our internet hospital will increase additional operational costs, and we cannot ensure that our marketing activities will achieve the anticipated effect. Any malicious harassment or other unfair competitions will also make our marketing activities less effective.

Furthermore, the Administrative Measures on Internet Information Services, which was promulgated by the PRC State Council on September 25, 2000 and amended on January 8, 2011, set out guidelines on the provision of internet information services. It requires that a commercial operator of internet content provision services must obtain a value-added telecommunications business operating license (“ICP License”) for the provision of internet information services from the appropriate telecommunications authorities. Our internet hospital currently does not hold an ICP License. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with any applicable regulatory requirements or internet information service-related rules, laws and regulations could result in proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others. These proceedings or actions may subject us to significant penalties and negative publicity, require us to change our business model or practices, increase our costs and severely disrupt our business.

We are carrying out a number of large-scale hospital construction projects, which requires substantial capital expenditures and other resources and could materially and adversely affect our operational and financial conditions.

We commenced construction of Shanghai Hospital in September 2017 with an estimated construction period of five years. The construction project was delayed, primarily due to (1) the postponement of construction activities caused by (i) the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai, and (ii) the COVID-19 outbreaks in other cities where some of our construction service providers were located in; (2) the extensive time required for the procurement and installation of medical equipment, especially the procurement of proton therapy equipment; and (3) the lengthy and stringent regulatory review and approval process for hospital construction project and other required qualifications, which generally takes seven to eight years for a new hospital planned to provide proton therapy services. We expect to complete the construction of Shanghai Hospital and commence the operation in January 2026, and commence operation for the proton therapy center in Shanghai Hospital in 2027. In addition, we plan to commence the construction of the phase II expansion to Guangzhou Hospital in 2026. All these cities are considered top-tier cities in China, with large and nationally-renowned government hospitals. To attract patients, we need to recruit medical professionals and other personnel and train them properly, provide services and treatment environment superior to local hospitals and install high-end equipment, including CyberKnife systems, positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance (“PET-MR”) scanners and proton therapy systems.

The planning, designing and constructing the cancer hospitals and clinics require significant time commitments from our management and other personnel, as well as substantial operational, financial and other resources. In addition, the installment, adjustment and clinical trial processes for proton therapy systems can be lengthy, and we may fail to obtain relevant regulatory approvals for numerous reasons, many of which are beyond our control. If we cannot manage the hospital construction process properly or if there is any delay or interruption in the process, our operating and financial results will be adversely affected.

Furthermore, we may experience significant delays or be unable to successfully consummate our hospital construction projects as a result of various factors, many of which are beyond our control, which would materially harm our business. For example, we must obtain a radiation safety permit as required by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (“MEP”) and Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and a radiation therapy permit from the competent healthcare administrative authorities to operate the medical equipment that contains radioactive materials or emit radiation during operation. A radiation worker permit from the provincial healthcare administrative authorities is also required for each medical technician who operates such equipment. Any failure to obtain approvals or renewals of these licenses from the competent authorities could delay the installation, or interrupt the operation, of our medical equipment in our cancer hospitals and clinics, which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our development and ramp-up schedule of new cancer hospitals and clinics could result in fluctuations in our short-term financial performance, and newly opened cancer hospitals and clinics may not achieve timely profitability, or at all.

Our operating results have been, and may continue to be, influenced by the openings of new cancer hospitals and clinics. New cancer hospitals and clinics generally have lower income and higher operating costs during the initial stages of their operations. We also incur substantial expenses before opening new cancer hospitals and clinics such as labor costs, construction expenditures, renovation costs, rental expenses and equipment costs. Based on our past experience, it generally takes years for a new cancer hospital to achieve monthly breakeven and much longer to recover the initial investment. Accordingly, the timing of new hospital openings has, and may continue to have, a significant impact on our profitability. As a result, our results of operations may fluctuate significantly from period to period, which renders the period-to-period comparisons of our results of operations to be not meaningful in predicting our future performance.

Moreover, we may not be successful in recruiting qualified medical professionals to effectively provide the services that we intend to offer in our new cancer hospitals and clinics. It could also take significant lead time for newly opened cancer hospitals and clinics to achieve a utilization rate comparable to the existing ones, due to factors such as time needed to build patient awareness in the local community and to integrate the operations of such hospital into our existing infrastructure. In addition, the opening of new cancer hospitals and clinics involve regulatory approvals and reviews by various authorities in the PRC, including health authorities. We may not be able to obtain all the required approvals, permits, licenses or certificates in a timely manner or at all. Therefore, we may not be able to immediately utilize or derive revenue from new cancer hospitals and clinics as anticipated. In addition, the operating results generated from newly opened cancer hospitals and clinics may not be comparable to the operating results generated from any of the existing ones. The newly opened cancer hospitals and clinics may even operate at a loss, which could adversely affect our results of operations.

Our growth plan includes the construction of proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics. If we cannot identify and seize growth opportunities in fast-changing markets, our future growth will face uncertainties.

We plan to build proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics in multiple regions in China. While current healthcare reform policies encourage the establishment of private medical institutions, the implementation process will be complex, time-consuming and subject to uncertainty.

We are identifying suitable regions for self-operated cancer hospitals and centers by considering a number of factors, including regional market size, existing competition and potential strategic partners. There are uncertainties regarding how successfully we can identify the suitable market, acquire required government approvals in a timely manner and control planned investments. In addition, we may face competition from our existing cooperative centers.

We may encounter difficulties in successfully opening new cooperative centers or renewing agreements for existing cooperative centers due to the limited number of suitable hospital partners and their potential ability to finance the purchase of medical equipment directly.

Our growth has depended on our ability to expand our network of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers by entering into new agreements primarily with top-tier hospitals in China. These hospitals are 3A hospitals, the highest ranked hospitals by quality and size in China determined in accordance with the standards of the National Health Commission of the PRC (formerly the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the PRC) (the “NHC”). The hospitals typically enter into long-term agreements with us and our competitors with terms of up to 20 years. As a result, in any locality or at any given time, only a limited number of top-tier hospitals may have not already entered into long-term agreements with us or our competitors. In addition, quotas imposed by government authorities as to the number and type of certain medical equipment that can be purchased, such as head gamma knife systems or positron emission tomography-computed tomography (“PET-CT”) scanners, will limit the number of top-tier hospitals with which we or our competitors can enter into agreements in a given period. See “—Healthcare administrative authorities in China currently set procurement quotas and other regulatory requirements for certain types of medical equipment, including proton therapy treatment systems.”

Due to the limited supply of suitable top-tier hospitals and increasing competition, we may not be able to enter into agreements with new hospital partners or renew agreements with existing hospital partners on terms as favorable as those that we have been able to obtain in the past, or at all. Certain competitors may have greater financial resources than we do, which may provide them with an advantage in negotiating new agreements with hospitals, including our existing hospital partners. In addition, if adequate funding becomes available for hospitals to purchase medical equipment directly, hospitals may purchase and manage radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging equipment on their own instead of entering into or renewing agreements with us or our competitors. Moreover, our agreements with hospital partners generally set forth certain events that may grant the relevant parties the right to early termination. In addition, if we have material disputes with our hospital partners or otherwise fail to maintain sound relationships with them, they may elect to exercise early termination or refuse to renew agreements with us after expiration. Our hospital clients may also have business or economic interests that differ from ours, enter into disputes with us, or take action that is inconsistent with our interests, objectives or instructions, where applicable. We cannot assure you that we will be able to resolve any disputes or disagreements in our favor, if at all, or that our hospital clients will not exercise early termination rights of the relevant agreements or take other adverse actions against us. Furthermore, any material dispute or termination of such partnerships may harm our industry reputation, which may result in difficulties identifying and securing new hospital clients for our future growth.

If we are unable to enter into agreements with new hospital partners or renew existing agreements on favorable terms, or at all, or if hospitals purchase and manage their own medical equipment, our growth prospects could be materially and adversely affected. Finally, the development of new cooperative centers generally involves a ramp-up period during which the operating efficiency of such cooperative centers may be lower than our established cooperative centers, which may negatively affect our profitability.

We conduct our business in a heavily regulated industry.

The operation of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers is subject to laws and regulations issued by a number of government agencies at the national and local levels. These rules and regulations relate mainly to the procurement of large medical equipment, the pricing of medical services, the operation of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging equipment, the licensing and operation of medical institutions, the licensing of medical staff and the prohibition on non-profit medical institutions from entering into cooperation agreements with third parties to set up for-profit centers that are not independent legal entities. In addition, our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers are subject to periodic license or permit renewal requirements and inspections by various government authorities at the provincial and municipal levels. We are also exposed to potential legal liabilities arising from claims relating to medical incidents, patient privacy, anti-corruption and anti-bribery, and environmental protection. Our growth prospects may be constrained by such rules and regulations, particularly those relating to the procurement of large medical equipment. Moreover, new laws and regulations applicable to our operations may be introduced in the future, or the current applicable ones may otherwise be amended or replaced to impose additional supervision and management requirements. Any changes in laws and regulations could require us to obtain additional licenses, permits or approvals, broaden the scope of our potential liabilities, increase our operating costs and expenses, or even result in the invalidation of our existing licenses.

If we or our hospital partners fail to comply with such applicable laws and regulations, we could be required to make significant changes to our business or suffer fines or penalties, including the potential loss of our business licenses, the suspension from use of our medical equipment, and the suspension or cessation of operations at cooperative centers in our network. In addition, many of the agreements we have entered into with our hospital partners provide for termination in the event of major government policy changes that cause the agreements to become unenforceable. Our hospital partners may invoke such termination rights to our disadvantage.

We had losses, negative cash flows from operating activities and net current liabilities, and we may incur losses and negative cash flows from operating activities and experience net current liabilities in the future.

In 2021, 2022 and 2023, we had net loss of RMB522.7 million, RMB769.0 million and RMB531.0 million (US$74.8 million), respectively, and negative cash flows from operating activities of RMB216.7 million and RMB276.5 million (US$38.9 million) in 2022 and 2023, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of RMB4,064.6 million (US$572.5 million) and a total shareholders’ deficit of RMB2,121.9 million (US$298.9 million). As of the same date, we had net current liabilities of RMB1,334.2 million (US$188.0 million). These conditions raised substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. We cannot anticipate when, if ever, we will become profitable. If we are unable to generate revenues that significantly exceed our costs and expenses, we will continue to incur losses in the future.

From January 2024 to March 2024, we entered into five loan contracts with the amount of RMB90.0 million (US$12.7 million), all principals has been received as of the date of this annual report. In addition, as of the same date, we have received HK$554.9 million (approximately US$71.0 million) through the effective listing of Concord Healthcare on Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “HKSE”). We will focus on the following activities: (1) we plan to seek additional equity and debt financing from new investors into the hospital and network business operation and extend the terms of current loans; (2) we plan to improve the profitability of network business and hospital business through, among others, upgrading cloud system solutions, accelerating the transformation of scientific research and training achievements into clinical application; (3) we are currently focusing on improving operation efficiency and cost reduction to standardize operations, enhance internal controls, and create synergy of our resources. Therefore, our management believes that the substantial doubt about our company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date the financial statements are issued has been alleviated. We may not have sufficient cash to meet our capital expenditure requirements in the future, which could materially and negatively affect the price of our ADSs and our ability to enter into critical contractual relations with third parties. In addition, we may fail to generate current assets to the extent that the aggregate amount of our current assets exceeds the aggregate current liabilities and, therefore, may continue to record net current liabilities. If we have significant net current liabilities for an extended period of time, our working capital for purposes of our operations may be subject to constraints, which may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our indebtedness and large repayment sums may materially and adversely affect our liquidity and ability to respond to adverse economic and industry conditions.

As of December 31, 2023, we had RMB319.6 million (US$45.0 million) in short-term borrowings outstanding and RMB722.6 million (US$101.8 million) in the current portion of long-term bank and other borrowings. In order to secure our bank and other borrowings, we may grant security interests over our medical equipment and other assets from time to time. As of December 31, 2023, we granted security interests over equipment with a net carrying value of RMB391.1 million (US$55.1 million), representing 11.0% of the net value of our net property, plant and equipment of RMB3,546.9 million (US$499.6 million) as of the same date, accounts receivable with a net carrying value of RMB13.3 million (US$1.9 million), land use rights with a net carrying value of RMB386.6 million (US$54.5 million), construction in progress with a net carrying value RMB2,027.3 million (US$285.5 million), and long-term investments with a carrying value of RMB189.7 million (US$26.7 million) as of December 31, 2023. In the past, we also granted security interests over other assets, such as accounts receivable including lease receivables, land use rights, and construction in progress. We may grant additional security interests over our assets in the future. See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Cash Flows and Working Capital—Indebtedness.” Any failure to satisfy our obligations under these loans could lead to foreclosure of the assets that secure these loans, suspension of operation of relevant hospitals in which such medical equipment is used, delay or interruption of relevant hospital construction projects, or otherwise damage our reputation in the medical community and our relationship with our hospital partners, all of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.

In addition, due to these borrowings, we are exposed to interest rate risk resulting from interest rate fluctuations. As of December 31, 2022 and 2023, the short-term bank and other borrowing bore a weighted average interest of 6.60% and 8.19% per annum, respectively, and the long-term bank and other borrowings bore a weighted average interest of 6.48% and 7.42% per annum, respectively. Escalation of prevailing interest rates could substantially increase our finance costs, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.

We are subject to certain restrictive covenants under the terms of our bank borrowings, which are commonly found in loan arrangements with financial institutions in China, and may restrict or otherwise adversely affect our operations. These covenants may restrict, among other things, the use of proceeds and pledged assets related to the borrowings and our ability to incur additional debt or make guarantees, engage in change-in-control transactions, make long-term investments, incur liens to third parties, pay dividends or distributions on our capital stock, transfer indebtedness, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of assets related to the borrowings, and reduce our working capital. Furthermore, some of our bank borrowings are subject to the fulfillment of covenants relating to certain of our financial ratios, as are commonly found in loan arrangements with financial institutions. If we were to breach the covenants, we cannot assure you that we would be able to obtain a waiver in a timely manner, on acceptable terms or at all. As a result, we would be in default of such loans, and the relevant counterparty could elect to declare the loans, together with accrued and unpaid interest and other fees, if any, immediately due and payable and proceed against any collaterals or pledged assets securing such loans. If the loans were to be accelerated, our business and liquidity could nevertheless be subject to adverse effects. In addition, such waiver, even if granted, may lead to increased costs, increased interest rates, additional restrictive covenants and other protections available to the counterparties under these loans, including the granting of additional security interests in collaterals or pledged assets, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and our ability to acquire additional capital resources.

Our ability to satisfy our repayment obligations largely depends on our operating performance. This, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control. We may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. If we encounter difficulties in generating sufficient cash to repay our outstanding indebtedness, our liquidity, business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected, and we may not be able to expand our business. We may be forced to sell assets, issue additional capital, reduce or delay capital expenditures, strategic acquisitions and investments, or seek to restructure or refinance our indebtedness, which may not be successful or provide sufficient remedial measures, could impede the implementation of our business strategy or prevent us from entering into transactions that would otherwise benefit our business. We may face substantial financial and operational risks if our business environment or the relevant interest or exchange rates change, or if our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our indebtedness service obligations. Failure to service our indebtedness could result in the imposition of penalties, including increases in interest rates that we pay on our indebtedness and legal actions against us by our creditors, or even bankruptcy. In addition, due to our level of borrowings, our ability to respond to changing market conditions may be limited and our business expansion plans through acquisitions may be impeded. This would also increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions and place us at a disadvantage compared to competitors who have lower levels of indebtedness.

If we fail to recruit and retain a sufficient number of qualified doctors and other medical professionals, our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. We also depend on our hospital partners to recruit and retain qualified doctors and other medical professionals to ensure the high quality of treatment services provided in our network of centers.

Our business is largely dependent on the ability of our cancer hospitals and clinics to identify, recruit and retain a sufficient number of qualified doctors and other medical professionals. The competition for qualified doctors in China is intense. It has become increasingly costly to recruit and retain medical professionals in recent years. In addition, the supply of qualified doctors is limited due to the length of training required, including academic study and clinical training, which can take up to eight years or even longer for certain medical specialties. We believe that doctors generally consider the following key factors when selecting medical institutions to work at, including the reputation and culture, the efficiency of hospital management, the quality of facilities and supporting staff, the number of patient visits, compensation, training programs and location. Our cancer hospitals and clinics may not compete favorably with other medical institutions in respect of one of more these factors, and our cancer hospitals and clinics may not be able to attract or retain a sufficient number of qualified doctors. The doctors at our cancer hospitals and clinics typically are entitled to terminate their employment at any time with a 30 days’ prior written notice. In addition, multi-site practice doctors practice at our cancer hospitals and clinics pursuant to the liberated physician registration regulation that allows licensed doctors to register and practice at multiple medical institutions. If the PRC government imposes restrictions on such practice in the future, our cancer hospitals and clinics may not be able to retain their current base of multi-site practice doctors. If our cancer hospitals and clinics are unable to successfully recruit or retain seasoned and qualified doctors, we may not be able to maintain our service quality, and the number of patient visits at our cancer hospitals and clinics may decrease, which may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, our success depends in part on our hospital partners’ ability to recruit, train, manage and retain doctors and other medical professionals. Although we may help our hospital partners to identify and recruit suitable, qualified doctors and other medical professionals, almost all of these medical professionals in our network of centers are employed by our hospital partners rather than by us. As a result, we may have little control over whether such medical professionals will continue working in cooperative centers in our network. If our hospital partners fail to recruit and retain a sufficient number of these medical professionals, the resulting shortage could adversely affect the operation of cooperative centers in our network and our growth prospects.

We have historically derived a significant portion of our revenues from cooperative centers located at a limited number of our hospital partners and regions in which we operate and our accounts receivable are also concentrated with a few hospital partners.

We have historically derived a large portion of our total net revenues from a limited number of hospital partners. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, net revenues derived from our top five hospital partners were approximately 17.1%, 15.9% and 6.0%, respectively, of our total net revenues. The largest hospital partner accounted for 8.3%, 5.0% and 2.4% of our total net revenues during those periods, respectively.

Cooperative centers located in Beijing Municipality, Chongqing Municipality and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region accounted for 43.0%, 12.3% and 6.9%, respectively, of our total net revenues in 2021. Cooperative centers located in Beijing Municipality, Hubei Province and Henan Province accounted for 35.9%, 18.1% and 15.3%, respectively, of our total net revenues in 2022. Cooperative centers located in Henan Province, Beijing Municipality and Hubei Province accounted for 20.3%, 19.9% and 13.6%, respectively, of our total net revenues in 2023.

Such revenue concentration may continue in the future. Due to the concentration of our revenues and our dependence on a limited number of hospital partners, any one or more of the following events may cause material fluctuations or declines in our revenues and materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and prospects:

In addition, the top five of our hospital partners in terms of revenue contribution, accounted for 43.0% of our total network accounts receivable as of December 31, 2023. Any significant delay in the payment of such accounts receivable could materially impact our financial condition and results of operations.

Any failure by our hospital partners to make contracted payments to us or any disputes over, or significant delays in receiving, such payments could materially adversely affect our business and financial condition.

We have established most of the cooperative centers in our network through long-term lease and management services arrangements with our hospital partners. We also provide management services to certain radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers through service-only agreements from time to time. Our hospital partners typically collect payments for treatment and diagnostic imaging services provided in cooperative centers in our network and then transfer our contracted percentage of such revenue net of specific operating expenses to us on a periodic basis.

Our total outstanding accounts receivable from our hospital partners were RMB111.8 million and RMB59.0 million (US$8.3 million) as of December 31, 2022 and 2023, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, approximately 22.8% of the accounts receivable for our network business reported on our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022 were still outstanding. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, accounts receivable was RMB2.0 million, nil and nil were written off as uncollectible, respectively.

Any failure by our hospital partners to pay us our contracted percentage, or any disputes over, or significant delays in, receiving such payments from our hospital partners could negatively impact our financial condition. Accordingly, any failure by us to maintain good working relationships with our hospital partners, or any dissatisfaction of our hospital partners with our services, could negatively affect our cooperative centers and our ability to collect revenue; reduce the likelihood that our agreements with hospital partners will be renewed; damage our reputation; and otherwise materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.

We have derived and expect to continue to derive a significant portion of our revenues from our cancer hospitals and clinics in Shanghai and Guangzhou, and may be particularly sensitive to adverse developments in such regions.

In 2021, 2022 and 2023, net revenues derived from our cancer hospitals and clinics located in Shanghai and Guangzhou accounted for 29.0%, 42.4% and 57.4%, respectively, of our total net revenues in the same periods. Going forward, we expect that a large part of our net revenues will remain dependent on our cancer hospitals located in Shanghai and Guangzhou, especially as we are in the process of expanding our hospital operations in such regions. We are therefore sensitive to the regulatory, economic, environmental and competitive conditions, as well as the public health landscape, in such regions. In addition, the business of our hospitals and clinics may also be materially and adversely affected if any economic downturn in these regions were to result in patients cutting back on spending on oncology healthcare services. In the event that the average spending power of the population decreases or the economic growth in Shanghai and Guangzhou slows down, demand for medical services, especially for the premium oncology healthcare services in private hospitals, may substantially decrease, and our results of operation and profitability may be adversely affected. Furthermore, significant changes in the laws and regulations governing the healthcare industry in Shanghai and Guangzhou, such as those in relation to the medical professional licensing system, qualification and compliance requirements for medical institutions, may have a material effect on our business operations.

Certain of the medical services and products provided in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers are effectively subject to regulatory price controls due to our voluntary price-matching policies, which may reduce our profitability.

PRC laws and regulations impose price controls and price ceilings on various service and products provided by medical institutions. While we, as a private medical institution operator, are not directly subject to the pricing regulations that public medical institutions must abide by, at our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers that are medical insurance designated medical institutions, we are required to set the prices for services, pharmaceuticals and medical consumables covered under the public medical insurance programs in accordance with the pricing guidelines adopted under such programs in order for our patients to be eligible for reimbursements. As a result, government policies that impose price ceilings, reduce profit margins or restrict insurance reimbursement amounts may in turn negatively impact our profitability. Furthermore, the PRC government has adopted a centralized volume-based procurement regime in an effort to regulate the prices of certain pharmaceuticals, which may exert downward pressure on the pricing of pharmaceuticals used in our medical institutions that are included under such regime. If the PRC government further reduces the current price ceilings, or if additional medical services and products are subject to price controls and/or public medical insurance reimbursement limits, we may need to adjust our own pricing policies where appropriate in order to maintain our competitiveness in the market, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, if we fail to respond to the pricing changes in a timely manner by adjusting pricing policies or service offerings, our business and prospects may be adversely affected.

In addition, cooperative centers in our network are primarily located in non-profit hospitals in China. The medical service fees charged by these non-profit hospitals are subject to price ceilings set by the relevant provincial or regional price control authorities and healthcare administrative authorities in accordance with the Opinion Concerning the Reform of Medical Service Pricing Management issued on July 20, 2000 by the NDRC and the Ministry of Health. Those authorities may adjust these price ceilings downwards or upwards from time to time. Historically, treatment fees for large medical equipment were requested to reduce. In the future, if the government reduces examination or treatment fees for the services provided by the centers in our network, our contracted percentage of each center’s revenue net of specified operating expenses may decrease, hospitals may be discouraged from entering into or renewing their agreements with us, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

Any failure to remain eligible for public medical insurance coverage, or any non-payment or delayed payment under China’s public medical insurance programs, could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

In medical insurance designated medical institutions in China, being the medical institutions that are eligible for public medical insurance coverage, patients may make partial payments if the medical bills are not fully covered, with the remaining fees payable to be settled between us and the relevant public medical insurance authorities. As such, whether a medical institution is eligible for public medical insurance coverage could affect its acceptance among potential patients. As of the date of this annual report, four of our cancer hospitals and clinics including Guangzhou Hospital, Datong Hospital, Guangzhou Outpatient Department and Shanghai Outpatient Department were medical insurance designated medical institutions in China. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, net revenues derived from settlement through public medical insurance programs accounted for approximately 10%, 16% and 24% of our total net revenues for the same periods, respectively. We expect to continue to receive a significant portion of our total medical bill payments under public medical insurance programs in China.

According to the Notice on Issuing the National Pilot Technical Specifications and Grouping Scheme for the Diagnosis Related Groups (“DRG”) Payment promulgated by the National Health Security Administration on October 16, 2019, DRG is a case combination classification scheme under China’ public medical insurance program. DRG payment system considers hundreds of disease groups and determines the optimal amount to be paid by the public medical insurance program for each disease group, based on a variety of factors such as patient age, disease diagnosis, comorbidity, complication, treatment, disease severity, and resource consumption level. According to the Notice on Issuing the Technical Specifications for National Medical Insurance Payment by Diagnosis Intervention Packet (“DIP”) and the DIP Disease Catalog (Version 1.0) promulgated by the National Health Security Administration on November 9, 2020, DIP is a management system which classifies disease groups based on the common characteristics of disease diagnosis and treatment methods, and assigns different score point values for different disease groups to form reimbursement standards. Both DRG and DIP payment systems are applicable only for medical insurance reimbursement for medical institutions providing inpatient services. Based on the different choices between DRG and DIP payment systems made by the relevant Medical Insurance Bureau in Datong and Guangzhou, our Datong Hospital began to adopt the DRG payment system for its inpatient services since its public medical insurance agreement entered into with the Medical Insurance Bureau of Datong in 2023; and our Guangzhou Hospital began to adopt the DIP payment system for its inpatient services since its public medical insurance agreement entered into with the Medical Insurance Bureau of Guangzhou in 2021.

Under both the DRG and the DIP payment system, the local public medical insurance authorities reimburse medical institutions that adopted DRG or DIP according to the reimbursement standard of the disease group that the patient belongs, and not according to the actual costs incurred by the patient at the medical institution. As a result, under the DRG or DIP payment system, there may be non-reimbursable amounts if the claimed reimbursement amount based on the actual inpatient service costs incurred by the patients at Datong Hospital or Guangzhou Hospital are higher than the reimbursement amounts received by the hospitals according to the reimbursement standard of the corresponding disease group. If our medical institutions record material non-reimbursable amounts in the future, such non-reimbursable amounts could adversely affect the business operation and results of operations of Datong Hospital or Guangzhou Hospital, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We cannot assure you that our cancer hospitals and clinics will be able to maintain their status as medical insurance designated medical institutions, the loss of which will not only harm our reputation but may also result in reduced patient visits. Furthermore, the PRC government may alter its reimbursement policies in coverage plans in the future such that certain medical services and products provided by our cancer hospitals and clinics may no longer be covered, or that more stringent thresholds on existing coverage may be imposed. Any reduction in the rates reimbursed or the scope of services covered may reduce patient accessibility to our cancer hospitals and clinics and may lead to reduced patient flow and related revenue.

In addition, any dispute or late or delinquent settlement under the public medical insurance programs may cause our accounts receivable to increase or result in write-offs. Depending on the relevant public medical insurance programs’ practice, a medical insurance designated medical institution may be subject to a government-approved annual quota for public medical insurance reimbursements. For amounts in excess of the quota, the reimbursement by local medical insurance authorities typically happens in the following year. If the quota assigned by the local medical insurance authorities does not increase in line with the revenue growth of our cancer hospitals and clinics, the loss generated from such non-reimbursable amounts would increase, which could adversely affect our results of operations.

If the government and public insurers in the PRC fail to provide sufficient coverage and reimbursement for the radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging services provided by our network of centers, our revenues could be adversely affected.

For public servants and others covered the 1989 Administrative Measure on State Provision of Healthcare and the 1997 Circular of Reimbursement Coverage of Large Medical Equipment of Public Health Service, the government either fully or partially reimburses medical expenses for certain approved cancer diagnosis and radiotherapy treatment services, including treatments utilizing linear accelerators and diagnostic imaging services utilizing CT and magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) scanners.

However, gamma knife treatments and PET scans are currently not eligible for reimbursement under this plan. Urban residents in China are covered by one of two urban public medical insurance schemes and rural residents are covered under a new rural healthcare insurance program launched in 2003.

The urban employees basic medical insurance scheme, which covers employed urban residents, partially reimburses urban workers for treatments utilizing linear accelerators and gamma knife systems and diagnostic imaging services utilizing CT and MRI scanners, with reimbursement levels varying from province to province. For urban non-workers and rural residents, the types of cancer diagnosis and radiotherapy treatments covered are generally set with reference to the policy for urban employees in the same region of the country. However, the reimbursement levels for covered medical expenses for urban non-workers and rural residents, which vary widely from region to region and treatment to treatment, are generally lower than those for urban employees in the same region.

We cannot assure you that the current coverage or reimbursement levels for cancer diagnosis or radiotherapy treatments will persist. If national or provincial authorities in China reduce the coverage or reimbursement levels for the radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging services provided by our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers, patients may opt for or be forced to resort to other forms of cancer therapy. In addition, our business, financial condition and results of operation could be materially and adversely affected.

We will provide high-end medical services and medicines that may not be covered by public medical insurance programs. As a result, we may need to cooperate with commercial insurance companies and face risks in respect of charge fees and patients’ ability of payment.

The majority of patients in our existing cancer hospitals and cooperative centers are covered under public medical insurance. We settle payments with local medical insurance agencies on a regular basis. For example, patients at Shanghai Outpatient Department can enjoy public medical insurance reimbursement for our services including outpatient consultation, chemotherapy, accelerator radiotherapy, laboratory tests and imaging tests (such as MRI, CT, B-ultrasound, mammography, electrocardiogram). Furthermore, patients who live in the Yangtze River Delta region outside Shanghai can also enjoy public medical insurance reimbursement for services at our Shanghai Outpatient Department under the off-site settlement program. However, for certain international-standard cancer treatments, especially radiotherapy services, we provide or plan to provide, our patients may need to self-pay or be covered under various commercial insurance coverages. We will need to negotiate with various insurance companies, both domestic and international, to enroll our cancer hospitals and clinics in their coverages. We cannot assure you that we can establish and manage the business relationship with insurance companies properly and effectively. Without the public medical insurance coverage, our future revenue may not meet our forecasts and profitability will be adversely affected. We may also face collection risks as commercial insurance companies may not pay for certain clinical procedures.

We may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations through new acquisitions or joint ventures or to successfully realize the anticipated benefits of any such acquisition or joint venture.

We have historically complemented our organic development of new cancer hospitals and clinics by selectively acquiring hospital businesses in China and overseas or assets or forming joint ventures, and we may continue to do so in the future. The identification of suitable acquisition targets or joint venture candidates can be difficult, time consuming and costly, and we may not be able to successfully capitalize on identified opportunities. We may not be able to grow our business as anticipated if we are unable to successfully identify and complete potential acquisitions in the future. Even if we successfully complete an acquisition or establish a joint venture, we may not be able to successfully integrate the acquired businesses or assets or cooperate successfully with the joint venture partner.

Integration of acquired businesses or assets or cooperation with joint venture partners can be expensive, time consuming and may strain our resources. Such integration or cooperation could also require significant attention from our management team, which may divert key members of our management’s focus from other important aspects of our business.

In addition, we may be unable to successfully integrate or retain employees or management of acquired businesses or assets or retain the acquired entity’s patients, suppliers or other partners. Consequently, we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of any acquisitions or joint ventures. We cannot assure you that any transformation and integration would be implemented successfully, or without incurring significant costs. Furthermore, future acquisitions or joint ventures could result in potentially dilutive issuances of equity or equity-linked securities or the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities or other expenses, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Healthcare administrative authorities in China currently set procurement quotas and other regulatory requirements for certain types of medical equipment, including proton therapy treatment systems.

The PRC government regulates the procurement, installation and operation of large medical equipment in China. PRC healthcare administrative authorities set quotas for large medical equipment, and medical institutions must obtain the large medical equipment procurement license prior to the procurement of any such equipment. Specifically, pursuant to the Administrative Measures on the Procurement and Use of Large Medical Equipment (For Trial Implementation) jointly promulgated by the NHC and National Medical Products Administration on May 22, 2018 and came into effect on the same day, the PRC government regulates large medical equipment through the classified and hierarchical allocation plan and through the issuance of the large medical equipment procurement license according to the Notice of the Issuance of Large Medical Equipment Allocation and Management Catalogue (2023) (“the Catalog”). The Catalog divides large medical equipment into Class A and Class B.

For medical equipment classified as Class A large medical equipment, which includes proton therapy systems, the NHC conducts procurement planning and approval. In addition, the NHC issues large medical equipment procurement licenses. For medical equipment classified as Class B large medical equipment, which includes PET-MR scanners, gamma knife systems, PET-CT scanners and linear accelerators, the relevant provincial healthcare administrative authorities conduct procurement planning and approval.

Although these rules do not directly apply to military hospitals in China, the healthcare administrative authority of the general logistics department of the PRC People’s Liberation Army (the “PLA”) uses these rules as a reference to approve the procurement of such medical equipment. The procurement regulations issued by the NHC stipulate that from 2018 to 2020, the total number of PET-CT large medical equipment procurement licenses issued in China cannot exceed 710 by the end of 2020. According to Notice on Adjusting the Configuration Plan of Large medical Equipment for 14th Five-Year Plan (the “14th Five-Year Plan”) issued by NHC on July 21, 2023, national master plan configures a maximum of 41 newly added proton therapy treatment systems between 2021 and 2025 and the total number of PET-CT large medical equipment procurement licenses issued in China cannot exceed 860. The allocation will depend on the actual situation of regional function orientation, radiation capacity of medical services and the service level of diagnosis and treatment of medical institutions. In addition, the 14th Five-Year Plan also stipulates the provincial the procurement planning and quotas for Class B large medical equipment procurement licenses.

Although the current number of procurement licenses available did not significantly impact our expansion plans in 2023, the limitation on the number of procurement licenses available and any adverse changes to such procurement licenses available in the future, or any failure of our hospital partners and our cancer hospitals and clinics to obtain such licenses, may affect our expansion plan going forward. Any of the foregoing could materially adversely affect our future prospects.

In addition, for certain of the medical equipment that we intend to install and operate in our cancer hospitals and clinics, we will need to obtain large medical equipment procurement licenses from the NHC or provincial level healthcare administrative authorities. See “—We plan to establish and operate proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics that will be majority-owned by us and are subject to significant risks.” We may not be able to obtain such licenses in a timely manner or at all, which could delay or prevent the opening of our cancer hospitals and clinics, and could materially adversely affect our growth strategy and results of operations. For instance, we have submitted the application for the large medical equipment procurement license for our proton equipment at the proton center of Guangzhou Hospital on November 24, 2023. According to the latest notice issued by the NHC and our understanding, this time the procurement license is issued in two batches, of which the issuance of procurement license in other provinces will be subject to separate review. As of the date of this annual report, due to the unexpected delay in the application process, we have not obtained the approval of the procurement license from the NHC. We have been proactively and closely communicating with the NHC on the status to accelerate both sides of the process.

On February 8, 2024, the NHC promulgated the Notice of Adjustment of the 14th Five-Year Plan Large-scale Medical Equipment Configuration Plan, which stipulates that in order to meet the needs of people for diversified diagnosis and treatment services and support the healthy and orderly development of socially-run medical care, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, eight new sets of heavy ion and proton radiotherapy systems were added according to the configuration plan nationwide, which are specially used for socially-run medical care institutions. This will significantly increase the likelihood of the our’s approval. At the same time, we are also actively promoting the approval of the registration certificate for the proton equipment manufacturer, Varian, as soon as possible. If we fail to obtain the licenses for our proton therapy systems under deployment or we plan to deploy, our business and prospects would be materially and adversely affected. In addition, if such quota for proton therapy treatment systems increases after we obtained our licenses, we may lose our competitive advantage in the field of proton therapy, and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

We or our hospital partners may be unable to obtain permits and authorizations from regulatory authorities in China relating to our medical equipment, which could delay the installation or interrupt the operation of our equipment.

For our hospital-based centers, our hospital partners must obtain a radiation safety permit from the MEP and a radiotherapy permit from the competent healthcare administrative authorities to operate the medical equipment in our network of centers that contains radioactive materials or emit radiation during operation.

Our hospital partners must also obtain a radiation worker permit from the competent provincial healthcare administrative authorities for each medical technician who operates such equipment. Any failure on the part of our hospital partners to obtain approvals or renewals of these permits from the MEP or the competent healthcare administrative authorities could delay the installation, or interrupt the operation, of our medical equipment, either of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.

Each of our cancer hospitals and clinics in China that we majority-own must obtain a radiation safety permit from the MEP and a radiotherapy permit, medical institution practicing license and radiation worker permits for our staff from the relevant provincial healthcare administrative authorities. Any failure on our part to obtain approvals or renewals of these permits could delay the opening, or interrupt the operation, of our cancer hospitals and clinics, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation. See “—We plan to establish and operate proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics that will be majority-owned by us and are subject to significant risks.”

Government authorities may interpret regulations to find that our lease and management agreements are not in compliance with relevant regulations.

Our lease and management agreements with public hospital partners provide that our revenues from hospital-based centers are to be calculated based on contracted percentages of each center’s revenue net of specified operating expenses. We believe these agreements comply with the Implementation Opinions on the Classified Management of Urban Medical Institutions and the Opinions on Certain Issues Regarding Classified Management of Urban Medical Institutions. However, the NHC or other competent authorities could interpret these regulations differently, and determine that our lease and management agreements do not comply with such regulations. As a result, such authorities could declare our lease and management agreements to be void, order our hospital partners to terminate such agreements with us, order our hospitals partners to suspend or cease operation of the centers governed by such agreements, suspend the use of our medical equipment, or confiscate revenues generated under noncompliant agreements. Furthermore, we may have to change our business model which may not be successful. If any of the above were to occur, our business, financial condition and results of operation could be materially and adversely affected.

We may have conflicts of interest with our subsidiary Concord Healthcare which is a stand-alone public company.

On January 9, 2024, our subsidiary Concord Healthcare listed a minority stake of 39,420,200 H shares on the Main Board of the HKSE under the stock code 2453.HK. Concord Healthcare’s H shares began to trade on the HKSE on January 9, 2024. We currently offer various types of support to Concord Healthcare to facilitate the marketing and implementation of its services. We have entered into and may, in the future, enter into various transactions and agreements with Concord Healthcare. Concord Healthcare has its audit committee, consisting of independent non-executive directors, to review and approve all proposed connected transactions as defined in the listing rules of the HKSE, including any transactions between our Company and Concord Healthcare, as applicable. We have an audit committee, consisting of independent directors, to review and approve all material related party transactions, including any material transactions between our Company and Concord Healthcare, as applicable. We believe that the transactions and agreements that we have entered into with Concord Healthcare are on terms that are negotiated on an arm’s length basis.

However, as we remain a controlling shareholder of Concord Healthcare, we may from time to time make strategic decisions that we believe are in the best interests of our business and shareholders as a whole, which may create conflicts of interest with Concord Healthcare, as a stand-alone public company, such as resolution of any dispute arising from the agreements, allocation of business opportunities, and employee recruiting and retention between us and Concord Healthcare. We may not be able to resolve all potential misalignments in interests with Concord Healthcare and the existence of such misalignments in interests may affect the results of operation of Concord Healthcare, which may, in turn, affect our results of operations as a whole.

Concord Healthcare, as a public company listed on the Main Board of the HKSE, has published and may continue to publish, from time to time, reports, projections, valuations and other types of information which may concern us, our business and financial condition, and/or our industry. Concord Healthcare may publish such information voluntarily or in response to regulatory or HKSE’s requirements or inquiries. Specifically, Concord Healthcare has ongoing obligations to publish information in relation to our Company. We have no control over whether or when, if at all, Concord Healthcare may publish any such information that concerns us, nor can we assure you that we will be given the opportunity to review or endorse any such information. In addition, as the HKSE and the SEC have different compliance and disclosure requirements for listed companies, we cannot guarantee that the information that Concord Healthcare may publish from time to time that concerns us will all be reflected in our reports to be filed with the SEC. As such, we cannot guarantee that any such information regarding us will not have any impact on the perception of us and our business by the investor community, the price of our ADSs, or the interest of our public shareholders.

Concord Healthcare may need to raise more capital, which could dilute our equity stake or impose debt service obligations on Concord Healthcare, if such capital is available at all.

Concord Healthcare has raised capital in both private and public share offerings to support its business operations. On January 9, 2024, Concord Healthcare’s H shares began to trade on the HKSE under the stock code 2453.HK. As of December 31, 2023, we remained control of Concord Healthcare with 50.08% of its voting right. Concord Healthcare’s operation of its self-owned medical institutions is capital intensive, and it may require additional capital resources in the future. Concord Healthcare may seek to obtain a credit facility or sell additional equity or debt securities. The sale of additional equity securities could result in dilution of our equity stake in Concord Healthcare, and the investors may have a strategy or objectives different from ours with respect to Concord Healthcare or impose conditions that could restrict the operations of Concord Healthcare. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financial covenants that would restrict its operations. It is uncertain whether financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable, if at all.

We may require additional funding to finance our operations, which financing may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all, and if we are able to raise funds, the value of your investment in us may be negatively impacted.

Our business may require expenditures that exceed our available capital resources. To the extent that our funding requirements exceed our financial resources, we will seek additional financing or defer planned expenditures. We may not be able to obtain these bank loans or additional funds on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, our ability to raise additional funds is subject to a variety of uncertainties, including, but not limited to:

If we raise additional funds through equity or equity-linked financings, your equity interest in our company may be diluted. Alternatively, if we incur debt obligations, we may be subject to covenants under the relevant debt instruments that may, among other things, restrict our ability to pay dividends or obtain additional financing, or require us to provide notice or obtain consent for certain significant corporate events.

Some of our loan agreements may contain cross-default provisions where a technical default on one of our obligations under other agreements will trigger a technical default under such agreements. Servicing such debt obligations could also be burdensome to our operations. If we fail to service such debt obligations or are unable to comply with any of these covenants, we could be in default under such debt obligations and our liquidity and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

If we fail to maintain stable relationships with our strategic collaboration partners, our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected

We have established strategic collaboration relationships with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (“MD Anderson”) and Mayo Clinic, to leverage their advanced medical technology, sophisticated operational techniques, and abundant clinical experience in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Our agreements with such strategic collaboration partners normally have a term of one to ten years and set forth certain events that may trigger unilateral termination. We cannot assure you that such strategic collaboration partners will renew their agreements with us upon expiry, or otherwise maintain the collaborative relationships with us. In addition, there can be no assurance that such strategic collaboration partners would not enter into similar arrangements with our competitors or otherwise act in a manner adverse to our interests. If we fail to maintain our strategic collaboration relationships or if such strategic collaboration partners fail to fulfill their obligations under the relevant collaboration agreements, our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

We rely on doctors and other medical professionals that provide services in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers to make proper clinical decisions, and rely on our hospital partners to maintain proper control over the clinical aspects of our network of centers.

We rely on the doctors and other medical professionals who work in our cancer hospitals and our cooperative centers to make proper clinical decisions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of patients. For our cancer hospitals and clinics, we enable training, clinical education and clinical research activities for our medical professionals. We also develop treatment protocols for doctors, provide periodic training for medical professionals in our network of centers on proper treatment procedures and techniques, and host seminars and conferences to facilitate consultation among doctors in our network of centers. However, we ultimately rely on our hospital partners to maintain proper control over the clinical activities of each cooperative center and over the doctors and other medical professionals who work in these centers.

Any incorrect clinical decisions by doctors and other medical professionals or any failure by our hospital partners to properly manage the clinical activities of each cooperative center may result in unsatisfactory treatment outcomes, patient injury or possibly death. As to such incidents that may happen in our cooperative centers, although part of the liability for any such incidents may rest with our partner hospitals and the doctors and other medical professionals they employ, we may be made a party to any such liability claim. Regardless of its merit or eventual outcome, these claims could result in significant legal defense costs for us, harm our reputation, and otherwise materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The cooperative centers in our network have experienced claims as to a limited number of medical disputes. We must generally account for expenses resulting from such liability claims as expenses of the relevant cooperative center, which could reduce our revenue from such center. Furthermore, any incorrect clinical decisions on the part of doctors and other medical professionals in our own cancer hospitals and clinics or our failure to properly manage the clinical activities of our own cancer hospitals and clinics will subject us to direct liability claims for any such accidents. These claims could result in significant legal defense costs, harm our brand name and materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. See “—With the rising conflicts between doctors and patients, if we cannot properly handle disputes with patients in a timely manner, we will face the increasing risk of litigation.”

We do not carry professional malpractice liability insurance or other liability insurance at many cooperative centers in our network because the professional malpractice liability insurance is to be purchased by the hospital partners. At our own cancer hospitals and clinics, we will likely face direct liability claims for any such incidents. However, even at the cancer hospitals and clinics that we do carry the professional malpractice liability insurance or other liability insurance, it may not be sufficient to cover any potential liability resulting from such claims. As a result, our business and operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We expect to face the risk of increased exposure to liability claims as we open our proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics, and our professional malpractice liability insurance may not be sufficient to cover such increased liability exposure.

As we start operating our own cancer hospitals and clinics, claims alleging medical malpractice against us may arise from time to time. We may also need to obtain certain types of insurance that we do not currently carry for the coverage of additional liability exposure associated with operating these hospitals and clinics.

However, such insurance coverage may not be available at a reasonable price and we may not be able to maintain adequate levels of liability insurance coverage, if at all. Any failure for us to maintain sufficient liability insurance coverage for operating of these hospitals and clinics at a reasonable price could subject us to substantial cost and diversion of resources arising out of liability claim. Such insurance coverage could also increase our expenses and decrease our profitability, which would adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

With the rising conflicts between doctors and patients, if we cannot properly handle disputes with patients in a timely manner, we will face the increasing risk of litigation.

Recently, patient-doctor conflicts and litigation have increased in China. Patients in China are demanding higher service quality of the medical services and treatments they receive from hospitals. Although rare, incidents have occurred in hospitals and medical institutions in the past in China where dissatisfied patients carried out extreme actions or even violence during the course of the disputes.

In our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers, we also deal with patient disputes and litigation due to real or perceived medical incidents and practices. While we offer periodic training to all medical staff in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers, our patients may still raise issues with treatment procedures, especially cancer patients who experience higher than expected side-effects, sometimes resulting in unexpected deaths. Despite our efforts in improving service quality, we cannot guarantee our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers will not be subject to medical disputes or that they can successfully prevent or address all medical disputes in the future. We may choose to settle with the dissatisfied patients in order to minimize the negative impact on our reputation and operations. While our cancer hospitals and clinics in operation are covered by medical malpractice insurance and we have also purchased bodily-injury insurance for our medical professionals, the process to reach a settlement, typically in the form of a monetary settlement under the medical malpractice insurance, is time-consuming. Any medical disputes, medical incidents and legal proceedings of similar nature, regardless of merit, could result in significant legal costs, diversion of medical professionals’ and management’s resources and reputational damage to us, which may in turn materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Any failures or defects in the medical equipment in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers or any failure of the medical technicians to properly operate our medical equipment could subject us to liability claims and we may not have sufficient insurance to cover any potential liability.

Our business exposes us to liability risks inherent in operating complex medical equipment, which may contain defects or experience failures. We rely on equipment manufacturers to provide adequate technical training on the proper operation of our complex medical systems to the medical technicians who work in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. If such medical technicians are not properly and adequately trained by the equipment manufacturers or by us, they may misuse or ineffectively use the complex medical equipment. These medical technicians may also make errors in operating the complex medical equipment even if they are properly trained. Any medical equipment defects or failures or any failure of the medical technicians to properly operate the medical equipment could result in unsatisfactory treatment outcomes, patient injuries or possibly deaths.

Although the liability for any such incidents rests with the equipment manufacturers, or the medical technicians if in the case of our cooperative networks, we may be made a party to any such liability claim. Any such claim, regardless of its merit or eventual outcome, could result in significant legal defense costs, harm our reputation, and otherwise materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we could account for any expenses resulting from such liability claims as expenses of the relevant cooperative center, which could reduce our revenue derived from such center. We do not carry product liability insurance at any of the cooperative centers in our network.

Any downtime for maintaining or repairing our medical equipment could lead to business interruptions that could be expensive and harmful to our reputation and to our business.

Significant downtime associated with maintaining or repairing medical equipment in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers would result in the inability of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers to provide radiotherapy treatment or diagnostic imaging services to patients in a timely manner. We primarily rely on equipment manufacturers or third-party service companies for maintenance and repair services.

The failure of manufacturers or third-party service companies to provide timely repairs could interrupt the operation of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers for extended periods of time. Such extended downtime could result in lost revenues for us and our partner hospitals, dissatisfaction of our patients and our partner hospitals and damage to the reputation of our own cancer hospitals, the cooperative centers in our network, our partner hospitals and our company.

We rely on a limited number of equipment manufacturers.

Much of the medical equipment in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers is highly complex and produced by a limited number of equipment manufacturers. These equipment manufacturers provide training on the proper operation of our medical equipment, as well as maintenance and repair services for such equipment, to the medical personnel who work in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers.

Any disruption in the supply of medical equipment or services from these manufacturers, including as a result of failure by any such manufacturers to obtain requisite third-party consents and licenses for the intellectual property used in the equipment they manufacture, may delay the development of our planned hospitals and new cooperative centers. Any such disruption could also negatively affect the operation of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business depends substantially on the continuing efforts of our executive officers and other key personnel, and our business may be severely disrupted if we lose their services.

We depend on the key members of our management team and of our material subsidiaries, such as Dr. Jianyu Yang, chairman and our chief executive officer, and Mr. Boxun Zhang, our chief financial officer, as well as other key personnel for the continued growth of our business. The loss of any of these key members or other key personnel could delay the implementation of our business strategy and adversely affect our operations. Our future success also depends in large part on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified management personnel. The process of hiring suitable, qualified personnel is often lengthy and such talented and highly qualified management personnel is often in short supply in China. If our recruitment and retention efforts are unsuccessful, it may be more difficult for us to execute our business strategy.

We may not always make a similar smooth transition if any executive officers or key personnel leave our company in the future. Although none of the key members of our management team is of retirement age in the near future and we are not aware of any current key members of our management team and of our material subsidiaries or other key personnel planning to retire or leave us, if one or more of such personnel are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them readily, if at all. Consequently, our business may be severely disrupted, and we may incur additional expenses to recruit and retain new officers.

In addition, we do not maintain key employee insurance. We have entered into employment agreements and confidentiality agreements with the key members of our management team and other key personnel. However, if any disputes arise between any of our key members of our management team or other key personnel and us, we cannot assure you, in light of uncertainties associated with the PRC legal system, the extent to which any of these agreements could be enforced in China, where all key members of our management team and other key personnel reside and hold some of their assets. See “—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could materially adversely affect us.”

We could be exposed to risks related to our dealing with patients’ personal and medical information.

Our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers collect and maintain personal and medical information of their patients. PRC laws and regulations generally require medical institutions and their medical professionals to protect the privacy of their patients and prohibit unauthorized disclosure of personal information. We may also be liable for damage caused by divulging the patients’ private or medical records without consent. Moreover, our cloud system solutions and internet hospital have access to, generate and process a large amount of personal, transaction, demographic and behavioral data.

We have taken measures to maintain the confidentiality of our patients’ personal and medical information, including encrypting such information in our information technology system so that it cannot be viewed without proper authorization and setting internal rules requiring our employees to maintain the confidentiality of our patients’ personal and medical information. However, these measures may not always be effective. There is a risk that such information could be compromised in the event of a security breach at our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers, cloud system solutions and internet hospital. Such information could be divulged due to, for example, theft or misuse arising from staff misconduct or negligence. In addition, although we generally do not make the patients’ medical information available to the public, we may use such data on an aggregated basis after redacting personally identifiable information or disclose certain data after obtaining relevant patients’ consent for training and research purposes. While we believe our current usage of patients’ medical information is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing the use of such information, any change in such laws and regulations could impose more stringent data production requirements and thus affect our ability to use medical information and subject us to liability for the use of such data for current permitted purposes. Failure to protect the confidentiality of patients’ personal and medical information, or any restriction on or liability as a result of our use of medical data, could have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation.

Any change in the regulations governing the use of medical data in China, which are still in development, could adversely affect our ability to use our medical data and could potentially subject us to liability for our past use of such medical data.

Our cancer hospitals and the cooperative centers in our network collect and store medical data from radiotherapy treatments for training doctors and improving the effectiveness of the treatments provided. In addition, doctors in our network utilize such medical data to conduct clinical research. We do not make any such medical data public and retain such medical data for our internal use and for research purposes by doctors upon the approval of our medical affairs department and our hospital partners.

Chinese regulations governing the use of such medical data remain in development but do not impose restrictions on the internal use of such data as long as we have the permission of our hospital partners who have ownership of such data. Any change in the regulations governing the use of such medical data could adversely affect our ability to use such medical data and could subject us to liability for past use of such data, either of which could materially adversely affect our business and financial results.

Our business is subject to seasonality.

During a fiscal year, the first quarter usually sees fewest patient visits, both inpatient and outpatient, mainly due to the Chinese New Year. The fourth quarter is usually the busiest quarter during the year, as most patients, especially patients from the rural areas, will have more free time to visit hospitals. Since our cooperative centers are located within the government hospitals, they are subjected to seasonality of patient traffic as well. Our cancer hospitals and clinics will also be affected by seasonality, although to a lesser degree, as cancer patients need to receive treatment and diagnosis immediately. If we cannot manage and mitigate the seasonality effectively, our financial and operational results will be adversely affected.

We may fail to protect our intellectual property rights or we may be exposed to misappropriation and infringement claims by third parties, either of which may materially adversely affect our business.

We have applied for and obtained the registration of our trademark “Medstar” and a total of 168 other trademarks, including “Concord Medical,” in China to protect our corporate name as of the date of this annual report. We also owned the rights to 98 domain names that we use in connection with our business as of the same date. We believe that such domain names enhance our marketing efforts for the treatments and services provided in our network and enhance patients’ knowledge as to cancers, the benefits of radiotherapy and the various treatment options available. Our failure to protect our trademarks or such domain names may undermine our marketing efforts and result in harm to our reputation and the growth of our business.

Equipment manufacturers from whom we purchase equipment may not have all required third-party consents and licenses for the intellectual property used in the equipment they manufacture. As a result, those equipment manufacturers may be exposed to risks associated with intellectual property infringement and misappropriation claims by third parties. In turn, we may be subject to claims that the equipment we have purchased infringes the intellectual property rights of third parties. We have in the past been subject to, and may in the future be subject to, such claims by third parties. As a result, we may be named as a defendant in, or joined as a party to, intellectual property infringement proceedings against equipment manufacturers relating to any equipment we have purchased. If a court determines that equipment we have purchased from our equipment manufacturers infringes the intellectual property rights of any third party, we may be required to pay damages to such third party. Our cancer hospitals and the cooperative centers may also be prohibited from using such equipment, which could damage our reputation and materially adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, any such proceeding may be costly to defend and divert our management’s attention and other resources away from our business. Furthermore, the standard equipment purchase agreements that we enter into with our equipment manufacturers typically do not contain indemnification provisions for intellectual property claims. Although we have obtained a specific indemnity from one equipment manufacturer for a patent infringement claim, we may not be able to recover damages, lost profits or litigation costs resulting from any intellectual property infringement claims or proceedings in which we are a party.

We do not have insurance coverage for some of our medical equipment and do not carry any business interruption insurance.

Damage to, or the loss of, such uninsured equipment due to natural disasters, such as fires, floods or earthquakes, epidemics outbreaks or other force majeure events could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operation. In addition, the operations of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers may be vulnerable to natural disasters that disrupt transportation since many patients travel long distances to reach such hospitals and centers. We do not have insurance coverage for some of our medical equipment and do not have business interruption insurance for some of our medical institutions. Any business disruption could result in substantial expenses and diversion of resources and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Most of our radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging equipment contains radioactive materials or emits radiation during operation.

Most of the radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging equipment in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers, including gamma knife systems, proton therapy systems, linear accelerators and PET-CT scanners, contain radioactive materials or emit radiation during operation. Radiation and radioactive materials are extremely hazardous unless properly managed and contained. Any accident or malfunction that results in radiation contamination could harm human beings, subject us to significant legal expenses and harm to our reputation.

Although equipment manufacturers, and our hospital partners if in the case of our cooperative networks, may bear some or all of the liability and costs associated with any accidents or malfunctions, if we are found to be liable in any way, we may also face severe fines, legal reparations and possible suspension of our operating permits. Any of the foregoing could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, certain of our medical equipment require the periodic replacement of their radioactive source materials.

We do not directly oversee the handling of radioactive materials during the replacement or reloading process or during the disposal process. Any failure of us or our hospital partners to handle or dispose of such radioactive materials in accordance with PRC laws and regulations may adversely affect the operation of such cancer hospitals and cooperative centers.

Our business may be harmed by technological and therapeutic changes or by shifts in doctors’ or patients’ preferences for alternative treatments.

The treatment of cancer patients is subject to potentially revolutionary technological and therapeutic changes. Future technological developments could render our equipment and the services provided in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers obsolete. We may incur significant costs in replacing or modifying equipment in which we have already made substantial investments prior to the end of its anticipated useful life.

In addition, there may be significant advances in other cancer treatment methods, such as chemotherapy, surgery, biological therapy or cancer prevention techniques, which could reduce demand or even eliminate the need for the radiotherapy services that we provide. Patients and doctors may also choose alternative cancer therapies over radiotherapy due to any number of reasons. Any shifts in doctors’ or patients’ preferences for other cancer therapies over radiotherapy may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The technology used in some of our radiotherapy equipment, particularly the head gamma knife and the proton therapy system, has been in use for a limited period of time and the international medical community has not yet developed a large quantity of peer-reviewed literature that supports their safe and effective use.

The technology in some of our radiotherapy equipment, particularly the head gamma knife system and the proton therapy system, has been in use for a limited period of time, and the international medical community has not yet developed a large quantity of peer-reviewed literature that supports their safe and effective use. As a result, such technology may not gain acceptance by doctors and patients in China or may lose any acceptance previously gained if negative information concerning their effectiveness or safety emerges.

As our agreements with manufacturers do not directly address such contingencies, we cannot assure you that equipment manufacturers will allow us to return their equipment or will otherwise reimburse us for losses that we may suffer under all such circumstances. Since each unit of our medical equipment represents a significant investment, any of the foregoing could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.

Development of cancer radiotherapy and cancer treatment technology, and medical equipment based on new technologies and research are advancing rapidly. If we cannot keep pace with advances in medical technology, we will be at risk.

We believe our planned proton centers, including those in Guangzhou Hospital and Shanghai Hospital, will offer the most advanced and cutting-edge treatment to cancer patients in China, including proton therapy, the most sophisticated radiotherapy currently available in the market. While considered the most accurate and effective radiotherapy mode at this time, proton therapy treatment may be overtaken by new trends or breakthroughs in the radiotherapy market. For instance, there is a trend of miniaturization of proton therapy equipment, which delivers the same treatment at lower upfront investments and physical specifications.

Although the miniature proton therapy equipment is not widely adopted, if the trend becomes popular, we may face more competition as capital expenditures for proton centers will be substantially lower and more hospitals and institutions enter into the segment and offer the treatment at lower prices. We need to follow the technology development closely or face the risk of lower cost alternative treatments.

Our self-developed technologies may contain undetected errors or may not operate properly, which could adversely affect our business, results of operation and financial condition.

We self-developed medical information technologies underlying our cloud system solutions and our internet hospital. In-house technology development is time-consuming, expensive and complex, and may involve unforeseen difficulties. We may encounter technical obstacles, and it is possible that we may discover additional problems that prevent our technologies from operating properly and consequently adversely affect our information infrastructure and other aspects of our business where our technologies are applied. If our solution does not function reliably or fails to achieve customers’ and business partners’ expectations in terms of performance, we may lose existing, or fail to attract new, customers or business partners, which may damage our reputation and adversely affect our business. In addition, software technologies evolve rapidly and involve uncertainties. If we fail to cater to technology trends and changing market demand, our cloud system solutions and internet hospital may be harmed and results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Moreover, remote diagnosis and treatment services are complex and those we offer may develop or contain undetected defects or errors. Material performance problems, defects or errors in our existing or new software and applications and services may arise in the future and may result from factors that are beyond our control or undetected in our testing. These defects and errors, and any failure by us to identify and address them, could result in loss of revenue or market share, diversion of development resources, harm to our reputation and increased service and maintenance costs. Defects or errors may discourage existing or potential customers from utilizing our solution. Correction of defects or errors could prove to be impossible or impracticable. The costs incurred in correcting any defects or errors may be substantial and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operation and financial condition.

Security breaches and attacks against our systems and network, and any potential resultant breach or failure to otherwise protect confidential and proprietary information, could damage our reputation and adversely affect our business, results of operation and financial condition.

We rely heavily on technology, particularly the internet, to provide high-quality online services. However, our technology operations are vulnerable to disruptions arising from human error, natural disasters, power failure, computer viruses, spam attacks, unauthorized access and other similar events. Disruptions to, or instability of, our technology or external technology that allows our customers to use our online services and products could materially harm our business and reputation.

Although we have employed significant resources to develop security measures against breaches, our cybersecurity measures may not detect or prevent all attempts to compromise our systems, including distributed denial-of-service attacks, viruses, malicious software, break-ins, phishing attacks, social engineering, security breaches or other attacks and similar disruptions that may jeopardize the security of information stored in and transmitted by our systems or that we otherwise maintain. Breaches of our cybersecurity measures could result in unauthorized access to our systems, misappropriation of information or data, deletion or modification of user information, or a denial-of-service or other interruption to our business operations. As techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to or sabotage systems change frequently and may not be known until launched against us, we may be unable to anticipate, or implement adequate measures to protect against, these attacks. As of the date of this annual report, we had not been subject to these types of attacks that had materially and adversely affected our business operations. However, there is no assurance that we would not in the future be subject to such attacks that may result in material damages or remediation costs. If we are unable to avert these attacks and security breaches, we could be subject to significant legal and financial liability, our reputation would be harmed and we could sustain substantial revenue loss from lost sales and customer dissatisfaction.

In addition, we may not have the resources or technical sophistication to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks may target us, our users or other participants of our ecosystem, or the information infrastructure on which we depend. Actual or anticipated attacks and risks may cause us to incur significantly higher costs, including costs to deploy additional personnel and network protection technologies, train employees, and engage third-party experts and consultants. Cybersecurity breaches may harm our reputation and business, and materially and adversely affect our results of operation and financial condition.

We will target the high net-worth population which is not covered by the government insurance programs. If we cannot meet their demands effectively or reach them through effective marketing, our financial position and results of operations may be adversely affected.

The high net-worth population in China may demand high-quality and differentiated medical services not available in public hospitals. As China’s economic growth continues, the number of high net-worth population will keep growing as well. However, this group of population usually has access to high-quality medical services and many of them visit hospitals overseas already. Our success depends on whether we can provide the quality of medical services comparable to or better than international standards. If we fail to target this group of patients, i.e., high net-worth population, or fail to offer competitive services, our financial position and results of operations may be adversely affected.

In addition, as China’s healthcare reform deepens and more private hospitals enter into the market, more hospitals will offer differentiated services that are not currently available in China’s healthcare service market. The high-net-worth population usually has access and resources to the best hospitals and medical experts in China. To reach this group of patients, we need to establish our industry position and reputation as the best cancer specialty service provider in China, which offers comparable or better services than other domestic and international hospitals. Our cancer hospitals and clinics will face growing competition from other private and international hospitals in China. If we cannot establish a set of proper medical protocols and build up a strong reputation among patients, our revenue and profits will be affected adversely.

In recent years, national policy of limiting foreign investment in the healthcare industry has been relaxed, foreign hospitals constantly influx the Chinese market, and Chinese patients have gradually sought healthcare services in the overseas market, such as Japan, Korea, other Southeast Asian countries. We also face the risks of loss of patient sources.

As China’s healthcare reforms progress and restrictions are relaxed on private and international investments, more international hospitals are planning to enter into the Chinese healthcare service market. As a result, our cancer hospitals and clinics face future competition from international hospitals, many of which will target the same high net-worth population. However, if we cannot execute our strategy properly, our operation and financial conditions will be affected.

In addition, more Chinese patients are traveling overseas to seek best treatment available to locations such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea or Southeast Asian nations. The MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center in the United States also receive patients from mainland China. As such, we may also face the risks of loss of patient sources.

If we become subject to litigation, legal or contractual disputes, governmental investigations or administrative proceedings, our management’s attention may be diverted and we may incur substantial costs and liabilities.

From time to time, we may be involved in claims, disputes and legal proceedings in our ordinary course of business. These may concern issues relating to, among others, medical disputes, product liability, environmental matters, breach of contract, employment or labor disputes and infringement of intellectual property rights. On-going or threatened litigation, legal or contractual disputes, governmental investigations or administrative proceedings involving us or our employees may divert our management’s attention, and result in damages, liabilities and legal and other costs. Furthermore, any litigation, legal or contractual disputes, governmental investigations or administrative proceedings which are initially not of material importance may escalate and become important to us, due to a variety of factors, such as the facts and circumstances of the cases, the likelihood of loss, the monetary amount at stake and the parties involved. If the outcomes of these proceedings are unfavorable to us, we could be required to pay significant legal costs and monetary damages, assume legal and other liabilities and even to suspend or terminate the related business projects. In addition, negative publicity arising from litigation, legal or contractual disputes, governmental investigations or administrative proceedings may damage our reputation and adversely affect the image of our brand and services. As a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

Corrupt practices in the healthcare industry in China may place us at a competitive disadvantage if our competitors engage in such practices and may harm our reputation if our hospital partners and the medical personnel who work in our centers, over whom we have limited control, engage in such practices.

There may be corrupt practices in the healthcare industry in China. Our competitors, other service providers or their personnel or equipment manufacturers may engage in corrupt practices to influence hospital personnel or other decision-makers in violation of the anti-corruption laws of China and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”).

We have adopted a policy regarding compliance with the anti-corruption laws of China and the FCPA to prevent, detect and correct such corrupt practices. However, as competition persists and intensifies in our industry, we may lose potential hospital partners, patient referrals and other opportunities if our competitors engage in such practices or other illegal activities. In addition, our partner hospitals or the doctors or other medical personnel who work in our network of centers may engage in corrupt practices without our knowledge to procure patient referrals to cooperative centers in our network.

Although our policies prohibit corrupt practices, there is no assurance that these policies will effectively prevent our non-compliance with the PRC and other applicable anti-corruption laws, regulations and rules arising from actions taken by the individual doctors, staff and hospital administrators without our knowledge. If this occurs, we and/or the doctors, staff and hospital administrators may be subject to investigations and administrative or criminal penalties, and our reputation could be harmed by any negative publicity stemming from such incidents, which may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, we have limited control over the actions of our hospital partners or the actions of the doctors and other medical personnel who work in our network of centers since we do not formally employ these individuals. If any of them engages in such illegal practices with respect to patient referrals or other matters, we or the cooperative centers in our network may be subject to sanctions or fines and our reputation may be adversely affected by negative publicity stemming from such incidents.

Our articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could adversely affect the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and ADSs.

Our fourth amended and restated articles of association limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company or cause us to engage in change-of-control transactions. These provisions could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transaction. For example, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our shareholders, to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to fix their designations, powers, preferences, privileges, and relative participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any of which may be greater than the rights associated with our ordinary shares, in the form of ADS or otherwise.

Preferred shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of our company or to make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors issues preferred shares, the price of our ADSs may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our ordinary shares and ADSs may be adversely affected.

If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may lose investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements.

We are subject to reporting obligations under the U.S. securities laws. The SEC as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, adopted rules requiring every public company to include a management report on the company’s internal control over financial reporting in its annual report, which contains management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting.

Our management has concluded that we had not maintained effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness as of December 31, 2023 was related to the lack of accounting staff and resources with appropriate knowledge of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements. See “Item 15. Controls and Procedures.”

Our failure to correct this material weakness or our failure to discover and address any other material weakness and control deficiencies could result in inaccuracies in our financial statements and could also impair our ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and related regulatory filings on a timely basis. As a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as the trading price of our ADSs, may be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, ineffective internal control over financial reporting significantly hinders our ability to prevent fraud. This annual report on Form 20-F does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm because our company is neither an accelerated filer nor a large accelerated filer, as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act. It is possible that, had our registered public accounting firm conducted an audit of our internal control over financial reporting, such firm might have identified additional material weaknesses and additional deficiencies.

If we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, our management may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting at a reasonable assurance level. This could in turn result in loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements and negatively impact the trading price of our ADSs. Furthermore, we have incurred and anticipate that we will continue to incur considerable costs, management time and other resources in an effort to comply with Section 404 and other requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Our business may be adversely affected by fluctuations in the value of the Renminbi as a significant portion of our capital expenditures relates to the purchase of medical equipment priced in U.S. dollars.

A significant portion of our capital expenditures relates to the purchase of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging equipment from manufacturers outside of China. As the price of such equipment is denominated almost exclusively in U.S. dollars, any depreciation in the value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar could significantly increase our capital expenditures, reduce the profitability of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers and materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We are a Cayman Islands company and, because judicial precedent regarding the rights of shareholders is more limited under Cayman Islands law than that under U.S. law, you may have less protection for your shareholder rights than you would under U.S. law.

Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time, the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands, as amended, and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take legal action against the directors and us, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands.

The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, which has persuasive, but not binding, authority on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States.

The Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. In addition, some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands.

As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests through actions against us, our management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as shareholders of a company incorporated in the U.S.

You may have difficulty enforcing judgments obtained against us.

We are a Cayman Islands company and substantially all of our assets are located outside of the United States. We conduct substantially all of our operations in the PRC. In addition, most of our directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other than the United States. A majority of our directors and officers are located in China. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons.

It may also be difficult for you to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors. Most of our officers and directors not residents in the United States and the substantial majority of their assets are located outside of the United States.

In addition, the courts of the Cayman Islands or the PRC may not recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons based on the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state. It is also uncertain whether such Cayman Islands or PRC courts would be competent to hear original actions brought in the Cayman Islands or the PRC against us or such persons predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state.

We may be classified as a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse United States federal income tax consequences to United States Holders of our ordinary shares or ADSs.

We believe we were not a passive foreign investment company (a “PFIC”) for our taxable year ended on December 31, 2023, although there can be no assurance in this regard. The determination of whether or not we are a PFIC is made on an annual basis and depends on the composition of our income and assets. A non-U.S. corporation will be considered a PFIC for any taxable year if either (1) at least 75% of its gross income is passive income or (2) at least 50% of the value of its assets (generally based on an average of the quarterly values of the assets during a taxable year) is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income (which includes cash and cash equivalents). The market value of our assets may be determined in large part by the market price of our ADSs and ordinary shares, which is likely to fluctuate. In addition, the composition of our income and assets will be affected by how, and how quickly, we spend our cash, including cash we received through the effective listing of our subsidiary Concord Healthcare on the HKSE as of January 9, 2024. Although we currently consolidate the income and operations of Concord Healthcare in our financial statements, if our ownership percentage of Concord Healthcare declines in the future, we may not be able to include the income and assets of Concord Healthcare for purposes of the PFIC rules. Further, under the applicable guidance, which is not binding precedent, it is unclear how companies, like us, with negative gross revenue, are treated. Assuming that we are permitted to use gross loss to offset our passive income, based upon our current income and assets and the projected value of our ordinary shares and ADSs, we do not believe we were a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for our taxable year ended December 31, 2023, although there can be no assurance in this regard, in which case we may be required to treat our interest in Concord Healthcare as a passive asset. In the event our passive income increases, we may be more likely to be a PFIC. If we are treated as a PFIC for any taxable year during which United States Holders (as defined in “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Taxation”) hold ADSs or ordinary shares, certain adverse United States federal income tax consequences could apply to such United States Holders with respect to any “excess distribution” received from us and any gain from a sale or other disposition of ADSs or ordinary shares. See “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Taxation—Passive Foreign Investment Company.”

If a United States person is treated as owning at least 10% of our shares, such holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.

If a United States person is treated as owning (directly, indirectly or constructively) at least 10% of the value or voting power of our stock (including our ordinary shares and ADSs), such person may be treated as a “United States shareholder” with respect to each “controlled foreign corporation” in our group (if any). If our group includes one or more U.S. subsidiaries, certain of our non-U.S. subsidiaries could be treated as controlled foreign corporations (regardless of whether we are treated as a controlled foreign corporation). A United States shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation may be required to report annually and include in its U.S. taxable income its pro rata share of “Subpart F income,” “global intangible low-taxed income” and investments in U.S. property by controlled foreign corporations, regardless of whether we make any distributions. An individual that is a United States shareholder with respect to a controlled foreign corporation generally would not be allowed certain tax deductions or foreign tax credits that would be allowed to a United States shareholder that is a U.S. corporation. Failure to comply with these reporting obligations may subject you to significant monetary penalties and may prevent the statute of limitations with respect to your U.S. federal income tax return for the year for which reporting was due from starting. We cannot provide any assurances that we will assist investors in determining whether any of our non-U.S. subsidiaries is treated as a controlled foreign corporation or whether such investor is treated as a United States shareholder with respect to any of such controlled foreign corporations or furnish to any United States shareholders information that may be necessary to comply with the aforementioned reporting and tax paying obligations. A United States investor should consult its advisors regarding the potential application of these rules to an investment in our ordinary shares or ADSs.

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

Adverse changes in political, economic and other policies of the Chinese government could materially adversely affect the overall economic growth of China, which could materially and adversely affect the growth of our business and our competitive position.

We conduct our operations primarily in China. Accordingly, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects are affected significantly by economic, political and legal developments in China. Economic reforms begun in the late 1970s have resulted in significant economic growth. However, any economic reform policies or measures in China may from time to time be modified or revised. The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including degree of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange, allocation of resources, evolving regulatory system, and lack of sufficient transparency in the regulatory process.

While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth in the past 30 years, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The Chinese economy has also experienced certain adverse effects due to the recent global financial crisis. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 on the Chinese and global economies was severe from 2019 to 2022 and may subject to further uncertainties The Chinese government has implemented measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures benefit the overall Chinese economy, but may also negatively affect us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations applicable to us.

The Chinese economy has been transitioning from a planned economy to a more market-oriented economy. Although the Chinese government has implemented measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets and the establishment of sound corporate governance in business enterprises, the Chinese government still owns a substantial portion of the productive assets in China. The Chinese government’s control of these assets and other aspects of the national economy could materially and adversely affect our business.

The Chinese government also exercises significant control over Chinese economic growth through the allocation of resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. Any adverse change in the economic conditions or government policies in China could materially adversely affect overall economic growth and the level of healthcare investments and expenditures in China, which in turn could lead to a reduction in demand for our products and materially adversely affect our businesses.

We face risks related to natural disasters and health epidemics in China, which could materially adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our business could be materially adversely affected by severe weather conditions and natural disasters or the outbreak of health epidemics in China. As our cancer hospitals and network of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers are located across China, our operations may be particularly vulnerable to any health epidemic, such as avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome, the influenza A (H1N1) and H7N9. Since December 2019, an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by the COVID-19 has and is continuing to spread rapidly throughout the world. The PRC government has taken certain emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus, including implementation of travel bans and closure of factories and businesses. The outbreak has negatively impacted the operations of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers in China. For example, certain of our medical institutions in Shanghai experienced temporary closure in the first half of 2022. In addition, due to the temporary travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders during the regional COVID-19 resurgence in Guangzhou city in the second half of 2022 and in Datong city in October and November 2022, our Guangzhou Hospital, Guangzhou Outpatient Department and Datong Hospital have experienced patient appointment cancellations and difficulties for employees to work on-site in such periods. We have also experienced certain negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on our network business, primarily including (1) the delay in logistics for delivery, installation and acceptance of medical equipment, primarily including large-scale medical equipment, as impacted by the less frequent transportation and travel restrictions for the relevant technical staff amid the regional resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, and (2) reduced offline marketing activities amid the temporary government-mandated travel restrictions or bans to contain the spread of the COVID-19, especially in Shanghai. In addition, the completion time for exterior wall construction for Shanghai Hospital was expected to be postponed from June 30, 2021 to January 2023 due to the lack of labor in Shanghai during the COVID-19 resurgence.

The PRC governments at all levels began to significantly lift the restrictive measures aimed at controlling the spread of the COVID-19 virus in December 2022. As the situation eased, in 2023, we have experienced an increase in the demand for our sales and installing of medical equipment and software and other services, and a recovery in the demand for the oncology healthcare service in our medical institutions. However, any regional outbreak of COVID-19 may still subject our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows to uncertainties. While the full impact of this outbreak is unknown at this time, we are closely monitoring the rapid developments in China that have become exposed to the virus and continually assessing the potential impact on our business. Any prolonged deviations from normal daily operations could negatively impact our business.

Moreover, any future natural disasters or health epidemics in the PRC could severely disrupt our daily operations, and may even require a temporary closure of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. Such closures may disrupt our operations and adversely affect our results of operations. Our operations could also be disrupted if our suppliers, customers or business partners were affected by such natural disasters or health epidemics.

The PRC government has significant influence over companies with China-based operations by enforcing existing rules and regulation, adopting new ones, or changing relevant industrial policies in a manner that may materially increase our compliance cost, abruptly change relevant industry landscape, or cause significant changes to, or otherwise intervene or influence, our operations in China at any time, which could result in material and adverse changes in our operations and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless.

We conduct our operations primarily in China. The PRC government has significant influence over China-based operations of any company by allocating resources, providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies, or imposing industry-wide policies on certain industries. The PRC government may also amend or enforce existing rules and regulation, or adopt ones, which could materially increase our compliance cost, abruptly change the relevant industry landscape, or cause significant changes to, or otherwise intervene or influence, our operations in China at any time. In addition, the PRC regulatory system is based in part on government policies and internal guidance, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all, and some of which may even have a retroactive effect. We may not be aware of all non-compliance incidents at all time, and may face regulatory investigation, fines and other penalties. As a result of the changes in the industrial policies of the PRC government, including the amendment to and/or enforcement of the related laws and regulations, companies with China-based operations, including us, and the industries in which we operate, face significant compliance and operational risks and uncertainties. For example, on July 24, 2021, Chinese state media, including Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television, announced a broad set of reforms targeting private education companies providing after-school tutoring services and prohibiting foreign investments in institutions providing such after-school tutoring services. As a result, the market value of certain U.S. listed companies with China-based operations in the affected sectors declined substantially. On August 30, 2021, the PRC government imposed restrictions over the provision of online gaming services to minors, aiming at curbing excessive indulgence in online gaming and protecting minors’ mental and physical health, which could adversely affect the development of the online gaming industry in China. The central or local governments of China may also impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations. As such, government actions in the future, including any decision to intervene or influence our operations at any time, or to exert control over an offering of securities conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, may cause us to make material changes to our operations, may limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, and/or may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.

Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could materially adversely affect us.

The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation since then has been to significantly enhance the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China.

We conduct our operations primarily in China through our subsidiaries established in China. Our PRC subsidiaries are generally subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investment in China and, in particular, laws applicable to foreign-invested enterprises. For example, laws regulating foreign investment in China include the PRC Foreign Investment Law, effective from January 1, 2020, and the Regulation on Implementing the PRC Foreign Investment Law, effective from January 1, 2020. The PRC Foreign Investment Law specifies that foreign investments shall be conducted in line with the “negative list” to be issued or approved to be issued by the PRC State Council. While we do not operate in an industry that is currently subject to foreign investment restrictions or prohibition in China, it is uncertain whether our industry will be named in an updated “negative list” to be issued in the future. If our industry is added to the “negative list” or if the PRC regulatory authorities otherwise decide to limit foreign ownership in our industry, there could be a risk that we would be unable to do business in China as we are currently structured. In such event, despite our efforts to restructure to comply with the then applicable PRC laws and regulations in order to continue our operations in China, we may experience material changes in our business and results of operations, our attempts may prove to be futile due to factors beyond our control, and the value of the ADSs you invest in may significantly decline or become worthless. Since the PRC legal system continues to rapidly evolve, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties, which may limit legal protections available to us.

In addition, some regulatory requirements issued by certain PRC government authorities may not be consistently applied by other government authorities (including local government authorities), making strict compliance with all regulatory requirements impractical, or in some circumstances, impossible. For example, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce the legal protections that we enjoy either by law or contract. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems.

These uncertainties may impede our ability to enforce the contracts we have entered into with our business partners, customers and suppliers. In addition, such uncertainties, including the inability to enforce our contracts, together with any development or interpretation of PRC law that is adverse to us, could materially adversely affect our business. Furthermore, intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in China may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries.

Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect of future developments in the PRC legal system, including the promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, or the preemption of local regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us and other foreign investors, including you. In addition, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of our resources and management attention.

The ADSs will be delisted and our shares and ADSs will be prohibited from trading in the over-the-counter market under the HFCAA if the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely auditors located in China for two consecutive years. The delisting of the ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.

Pursuant to the HFCAA, if the SEC determines that we have filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspections by the PCAOB for two consecutive years, the SEC will prohibit our shares and ADSs from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States.

Our financial statements contained in the annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 have been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm that is located in China and is among the public accounting firms registered with the PCAOB headquartered in the PRC that are subject to PCAOB’s determination issued on December 16, 2021 of having been unable to be inspected or investigated completely by the PCAOB. In May 2022, in connection with its implementation of the HFCAA, the SEC conclusively named our company as a “Commission-identified Issuer” following the filing of our annual report on Form 20-F with the SEC on April 29, 2022.

In August 2022, the PCAOB, the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance of the PRC signed the Statement of Protocol, which establishes a specific and accountable framework for the PCAOB to conduct inspections and investigations of PCAOB-governed accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2022. The PCAOB Board vacated its previous 2021 determinations that the PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. For this reason, we do not expect to be identified as a “Commission-identified Issuer” under the HFCAA after we file this annual report on Form 20-F. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to be able to satisfactorily conduct inspections of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainties and depends on a number of factors out of our and our auditor’s control. The PCAOB continues to demand complete access in mainland China and Hong Kong moving forward and pursues ongoing investigations and initiate new investigations as needed. The PCAOB has also indicated that it will act immediately to consider the need to issue new determinations with the HFCAA if needed. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect and investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in China, or if we fail to, among others, meet the PCAOB’s requirements, including retaining a registered public accounting firm that the PCAOB determines it is able to inspect and investigate completely, and upon two consecutive years of non-inspection under the HFCAA, the ADSs will be delisted from the NYSE and our shares and ADSs will not be permitted for trading over the counter either. If our shares and ADSs are prohibited from trading in the United States, we cannot assure you that we will be able to list on a non-U.S. exchange or that a market for our shares will develop outside of the United States. Such a prohibition would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase the ADSs when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with delisting would have a negative impact on the price of the ADSs. Moreover, the HFCAA or other efforts to increase U.S. regulatory access to audit information could cause investor uncertainty for affected issuers, including us, and the market price of the ADSs could be adversely affected. Also, such a prohibition would significantly affect our ability to raise capital on terms acceptable to us, or at all, which would have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and prospects.

The approval of and the filing with the CSRC or other PRC government authorities may be required in connection with our future offshore offerings under PRC law, and, if required, we cannot predict whether or for how long we will be able to obtain such approval or complete such filing.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies jointly issued the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Rule”), which became effective on September 8, 2006 and was subsequently amended on June 22, 2009. The M&A Rule requires an overseas special purpose vehicle formed for listing purposes through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC persons or entities to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange. The interpretation and application of the regulations remain unclear, and our offshore offerings may ultimately require approval of the CSRC. If the CSRC approval is required, it is uncertain whether we can or how long it will take us to obtain the approval and, even if we obtain such CSRC approval, the approval could be rescinded. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining the CSRC approval for any of our offshore offerings, or a rescission of such approval if obtained, would subject us to sanctions imposed by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities, which could include fines and penalties on our operations in China, restrictions or limitations on our ability to pay dividends outside of China, and other forms of sanctions that may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

On July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC government authorities issued Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Measures of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Overseas Listing Trial Measures”) and the related guidelines, which became effective on March 31, 2023. The Overseas Listing Trial Measures has comprehensively improved and reformed the existing regulatory regime for overseas offering and listing of securities by PRC domestic companies and regulated both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing of securities by PRC domestic companies by adopting a filing-based regulatory regime. According to the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, PRC domestic companies that seek to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either in direct or indirect means, are required to fulfill the filing procedure with the CSRC and report relevant information. The CSRC provided further notice related to the Overseas Listing Trial Measures that companies that had already been listed on overseas stock exchanges prior to March 31, 2023 are not required to make immediate filings for its listing, but are required to make filings for subsequent offerings in accordance with the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, i.e., to file with the CSRC within three business days after the closing of such subsequent offerings. As we had been listed on NYSE prior to March 31, 2023, as advised by our PRC counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law, we are not required to make any filing with the CSRC in connection with our listing. However, we will be subject to the filing requirements with the CSRC if we conduct subsequent offerings. Given the substantial uncertainties surrounding the latest CSRC filing requirements at this stage, we cannot assure you that, if ever required, we would be able to complete the filings and fully comply with the relevant new rules on a timely basis, if at all.

Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining approvals and and completing filing procedures from the CSRC or other regulatory authorities or other procedures, including the cybersecurity review, for our offshore offerings, or a rescission of any such approval or filing if obtained by us, would subject us to sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities. These regulatory authorities may impose fines and penalties on our operations in China, limit our ability to pay dividends outside of China, limit our operating privileges in China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from our offshore offerings into China or take other actions that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects, as well as the trading price of our listed securities. The CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities also may take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, to halt our offshore offerings before settlement and delivery of the shares offered. Consequently, if investors engage in market trading or other activities in anticipation of and prior to settlement and delivery, they do so at the risk that settlement and delivery may not occur. In addition, if the CSRC or other regulatory authorities later promulgate new rules or explanations requiring that we obtain their approvals or accomplish the required filing or other regulatory procedures for our prior offshore offerings, we may be unable to obtain a waiver of such approval requirements, if and when procedures are established to obtain such a waiver. Any uncertainties or negative publicity regarding such approval requirement could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, reputation, and the trading price of our listed securities.

The M&A Rule establishes more complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.

The M&A Rule establishes additional procedures and requirements that could make some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. These procedures and regulations require in some instances that the Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a Chinese domestic enterprise.

We may grow our business in part by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the M&A Rule to complete such transactions could be time-consuming. Any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from MOFCOM, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.

PRC foreign exchange rules may limit our ability to acquire PRC companies and adversely affect the implementation of our strategy, business and prospects.

On July 4, 2014, State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”) promulgated the Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control of Domestic Residents’ Overseas Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Offshore Special Purpose Vehicles (“SAFE Circular No. 37”), which replaced the former Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (“SAFE Circular No. 75”) promulgated by SAFE on October 21, 2005.

SAFE Circular No. 37 requires PRC residents to register with local branches of SAFE in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity, for the purpose of overseas investment and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests, which is referred to in SAFE Circular No. 37 as a “special purpose vehicle.” SAFE Circular No. 37 requires amending the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC residents share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material events.

In the event that a PRC resident holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to complete the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities. The special purpose vehicle may also be restricted from contributing additional capital into its PRC subsidiaries. Failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls.

Currently, several of our beneficial owners who are residents in the PRC and are or may be subject to the requirements of registering with the competent local branch of SAFE with respect to their investments in our company as required by SAFE Circular No. 75. They will update their registration filings with SAFE under SAFE Circular No. 37 when there are any changes that should be registered under SAFE Circular No. 37. However, we may not at all times be fully aware or informed of the identities of all our beneficial owners that are required to make such registrations, and if or when we have such shareholders or beneficial owners, we may not always be able to compel them to comply with SAFE Circular No. 37 requirements.

As a result, we cannot assure you that all of our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents will at all times comply with, or in the future make or obtain any applicable registrations or approvals required by, SAFE Circular No. 37 or other related regulations. The failure or inability of such individuals to comply with the registration procedures set forth in these regulations may subject us to fines or legal sanctions, restrictions on our cross-border investment activities or our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to, or obtain foreign-exchange-dominated loans from, our company, or prevent us from making distributions or paying dividends. As a result, our operations and our ability to make distributions to you could be materially adversely affected.

We are subject to complex and evolving laws, regulations and governmental policies regarding privacy and data protection. Actual or alleged failure to comply with such laws, regulations and governmental policies could materially and adversely affect our business and reputation.

When conducting our business, we may need to store, transmit and process certain data of our patients, and therefore face risks inherent in handling large volumes of data and in protecting the security and privacy of such data. In recent years, privacy and data protection has become an increasing regulatory focus of government authorities across the world. The PRC government has enacted a series of laws, regulations and governmental policies for the protection of personal data in the past few years. Such regulatory requirements on data privacy are constantly evolving and can be subject to varying interpretations, or significant changes, resulting in uncertainties about the scope of our responsibilities in that regard.

For instance, on June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (“SCNPC”) promulgated the PRC Data Security Law, which took effect on September 1, 2021. The PRC Data Security Law, among other things, requires data collection to be conducted in a legitimate and proper manner, and stipulates that, for the purpose of data security, data processing activities must be conducted based on data classification and hierarchical protection system. Furthermore, along with the promulgation of the Opinions on Strictly Combating Illegal Securities Activities, overseas-listed China-based companies are experiencing a heightened scrutiny over their compliance with laws and regulations regarding data security, cross-border data flow and management of confidential information from PRC regulatory authorities.

On August 20, 2021, the SCNPC issued the Personal Information Protection Law, which has been effective from November 1, 2021 and reiterates the circumstances under which a personal information processor could process personal information and the requirements for such circumstances. The Personal Information Protection Law clarifies the scope of application, the definition of personal information and sensitive personal information, the legal basis of personal information processing and the basic requirements of notice and consent.

On October 29, 2021, the CAC publicly solicited opinions on the Measures for the Security Assessment of Data Cross-border Transfer (Draft for Comments), which requires that any data processor who provides to an overseas recipient important data collected and generated during operations within the territory of the PRC or personal information that should be subject to security assessment shall conduct security assessment. The Measures for the Security Assessment of Data Cross-border Transfer (the “Security Assessment Measures”) was adopted on July 7, 2022 with the effect from September 1, 2022.

On November 14, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) publicly solicited opinions on the Regulations on the Administration of Cyber Data Security (Draft for Comments) (“Draft Data Security Regulations”). According to the Draft Data Security Regulations, data processors shall, in accordance with relevant state provisions, apply for cyber security review when carrying out the following activities: (1) the merger, reorganization or separation of internet platform operators that have acquired a large number of data resources related to national security, economic development or public interests, which affects or may affect national security, (2) data processors that handle the personal information of more than one million people intends to be listed abroad, (3) the data processor intends to be listed in Hong Kong, which affects or may affect national security, and (4) other data processing activities that affect or may affect national security. However, the Draft Data Security Regulations provides no further explanation or interpretation for “affects or may affect national security.” The PRC government authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation of “affects or may affect national security.” However, we are not certain whether such draft measures will apply to our company, or whether the scope of financing activities that are subject to such draft measures may change in the future. Furthermore, if such draft measures is adopted into law in the future, we may become subject to enhanced cybersecurity review, or regulatory bodies in China may retroactively apply and implement such draft measures. As such, substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the enactment timetable, final content, interpretation and implementation.

On December 28, 2021, the CAC and 12 other government authorities published the Review Measures, which took effect on February 15, 2022. The Review Measures provides that certain operators of critical information infrastructure purchasing network products and services or network platform operators carrying out data processing activities, which affect or may affect national security, must apply with the Cybersecurity Review Office for a cybersecurity review. The Review Measures also provide that if a “network platform operator” holding personal information of more than one million users intends to go public in a foreign country, it must apply for a cybersecurity review. Currently, we have not been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity review initiated by the CAC or related governmental regulatory authorities, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanction in such respect. As a result, we currently believe we do not need to apply for a cybersecurity review pursuant to the above regulation to maintain the listing status of the ADSs in the United States, because (1) we are not in possession of personal information of over one million users and it is also very unlikely that it will reach such threshold in the near future, and (2) as of the date of the annual report, we have not received any notice or determination from applicable PRC governmental authorities identifying us as a critical information infrastructure operator or a network platform operator engaging in relevant data processing activities which affect or may affect national security of the PRC. However, the scope of operators of “critical information infrastructure” and the interpretation for “affect or may affect national security” under the current regulatory regime remain unclear and are subject to the decisions of competent PRC regulatory authorities. If we are identified as an operator of “critical information infrastructure,” we would be required to fulfill various obligations as required under PRC cybersecurity laws and other applicable laws for such operators of “critical information infrastructure” thus currently not applicable to us, including, among others, setting up a special security management organization, organizing regular cybersecurity education and training, formulating emergency plans for cyber security incidents and conducting regular emergency drills, and although the internet products and services we purchase are primarily bandwidth and marketing services, we may need to follow cybersecurity review procedure and apply with Cybersecurity Review Office before making certain purchases of network products and services. Moreover, we may be required to conduct cybersecurity review by the CAC if we were regarded as a critical information infrastructure operator by the CAC, or if our data processing activities and overseas listing were regarded as having impact or potential impact on national security, and be required to make significant changes to our business practices, suspend certain business, or even be prohibited from providing certain service offerings in jurisdictions in which we currently operate or in which we may operate in the future. The cybersecurity review could also lead to negative publicity and a diversion of time and attention of our management and our other resources. It could be costly and time-consuming for us to prepare application materials and make the applications. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that we will obtain the clearance or approval for these applications from the Cybersecurity Review Office and the relevant regulatory authorities in a timely manner, or at all. If we are found to be in violation of cybersecurity requirements in China, the relevant governmental authorities may, at their discretion, conduct investigations, levy fines, request app stores to take down our apps and cease to provide viewing and downloading services related to our apps, prohibit the registration of new users on our platform, or require us to change our business practices in a manner materially adverse to our business. Any of these actions may disrupt our operations and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We cannot predict the impact of these new laws and regulations, if any, at this stage, and we will closely monitor and assess any development in the rule-making process. Therefore, it remains uncertain whether the proposed measures will be applicable to our business, or whether the future regulatory changes would impose additional restrictions on companies like us. Failure to comply with the cybersecurity and data privacy requirements in a timely manner, or at all, may subject us to government enforcement actions and investigations, fines, penalties, suspension of our non-compliant operations, among other sanctions. As a result, we may be required to upgrade or change our service offerings and other aspects of our business to comply with such laws and regulations.

We have adopted various measures to ensure compliance with privacy and data protection regulations. However, our security control may not prevent the improper leakage of personal data and confidential information. Additionally, we cannot assure you that we will be able to address any vulnerabilities in our cloud system solutions and internet hospital that we may become aware of in the future. In particular, we could be subject to attacks on our systems by external parties or fraudulent or inappropriate behaviors by our employees, third-party providers or other business partners. Third parties may also gain access to our data using computer malware, viruses, spamming, phishing attacks or other means. A security breach that leads to leakage of data and information of our users, even though anonymized, could still subject us to legal liabilities, regulatory sanctions, reputational damage and loss of user confidence. In addition, data breaches or any misconduct during the process of collection, analysis, and storage of data, could result in a violation of applicable data privacy and protection laws and regulations in China, and subject us to regulatory actions, investigations or litigations. Even if these actions, investigations or litigations do not result in any liability to us, we could incur significant costs in investigating and defending against them, and could be subject to negative publicity about our privacy and data protection practices, which may affect our reputation in the marketplace. Our potential risks related to our collection and use of data could require us to implement measures to reduce our exposure to liability, which may require us to expend substantial resources and limit the attractiveness of our services to our patients and hospital partners. As a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to use our revenues effectively and the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to obtain financing.

We receive substantially all of our revenues in Renminbi, which currently is not a freely convertible currency. Restrictions on currency conversion imposed by the PRC government may limit our ability to use revenues generated in Renminbi to fund our expenditures denominated in foreign currencies or our business activities outside China, if any. Under China’s existing foreign exchange regulations, Renminbi may be freely converted into foreign currency for payments relating to “current account transactions,” which include among other things dividend payments and payments for the import of goods and services, by complying with certain procedural requirements. As such, our PRC subsidiaries are able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior approval from the SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. Our PRC subsidiaries may also retain foreign currency in their respective current account bank accounts for making payments in international current account transactions. However, the PRC government may take measures in the future to restrict access to foreign currencies for current account transactions.

Conversion of Renminbi into foreign currencies, and of foreign currencies into Renminbi, for payments relating to “capital account transactions,” which principally includes investments and loans, generally requires the approval of SAFE and other relevant PRC governmental authorities. Restrictions on the convertibility of the Renminbi for capital account transactions could affect the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make investments overseas or to obtain foreign currency through debt or equity financing, including by means of loans or capital contributions from us. If our PRC subsidiaries borrow foreign currency from us or other foreign lenders, they must do so within approved limits that satisfy their approval documentation and PRC debt to equity ratio requirements. Such loans must be registered with the SAFE or its local counterpart. In practice, it could be time-consuming to complete such SAFE registration process.

If we finance our PRC subsidiaries through additional capital contributions, the amount of these capital contributions must be approved by or filed with MOFCOM in China or its local counterpart. On August 29, 2008, SAFE promulgated Circular 142, a notice regulating the conversion by a foreign-invested company of foreign currency into Renminbi by restricting how the converted Renminbi may be used. The notice requires that Renminbi converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company may only be used for purposes within the business scope approved by the applicable governmental authority and may not be used for equity investments within the PRC unless specifically provided for otherwise in its business scope. In addition, SAFE strengthened its oversight over use of Renminbi funds converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company. The use of such Renminbi may not be changed without approval from SAFE, and may not be used to repay Renminbi loans if the proceeds of such loans have not yet been used for purposes within the company’s approved business scope. Violations of Circular 142 may result in severe penalties, including substantial fines as set forth in the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulations.

On March 30, 2015, SAFE promulgated the Circular of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming the Management Approach regarding the Settlement of Foreign Exchange Capital of Foreign-invested Enterprises (“SAFE Circular No. 19”), which replaced the former notice on the conversion by a foreign-invested company of foreign currency into Renminbi. Pursuant to SAFE Circular No. 19, the foreign exchange capital of foreign-invested enterprises shall be subject to discretional foreign exchange settlement. For domestic equity investment made with capital obtained from foreign exchange settlement, the invested enterprises first shall handle the registration of domestic reinvestment at the foreign exchange bureaus (banks) at the places of registration and open the corresponding Account Pending for Foreign Exchange Settlement Payment. The enterprises making the investment shall then transfer the capital in Renminbi obtained from foreign exchange settlement based on the actual investment scale to the Account Pending for Foreign Exchange Settlement Payment opened by the invested enterprises. This may help foreign-invested enterprises carry out domestic equity investment with the capital obtained from foreign exchange settlement to some extent.

Fluctuations in the value of the Renminbi may materially adversely affect your investment.

The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in China’s political and economic conditions. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the Renminbi to the U.S. dollar, and the Renminbi appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years.

Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the Renminbi has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar.

There remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to liberalize its currency policy, which could result in a further and more significant fluctuation in the value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar. In addition, as we rely entirely on dividends paid to us by our PRC subsidiaries, any significant revaluation of the Renminbi may materially adversely affect our revenues and financial condition, and the value of any dividends payable on our ADSs in foreign currency terms.

For example, to the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars that we receive from a future offering into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would decrease the Renminbi amount that we receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert our Renminbi into U.S. dollars to make payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs or for other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would negatively affect the U.S. dollar amount available to us. In addition, appreciation or depreciation in the value of the Renminbi relative to the U.S. dollar would affect our financial results reported in U.S. dollar terms without giving effect to any underlying change in our business or results of operations.

We rely on dividends paid by our subsidiaries for our cash needs, and any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us could materially adversely affect our ability to conduct our business.

We conduct our business primarily through our consolidated subsidiaries incorporated in China. We rely on dividends paid by these consolidated subsidiaries for our cash needs, including the funds necessary to pay any dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders, service any debt we may incur and pay our operating expenses. The payment of dividends by entities established in China is subject to limitations. Regulations in China permit payment of dividends only out of accumulated profits as determined in accordance with accounting standards and regulations in China.

Each of our PRC subsidiaries, including wholly foreign-owned enterprises (generally known as WFOEs), and joint venture enterprises is also required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profit based on PRC accounting standards each year to its general reserves or statutory capital reserve fund until the aggregate amount of such reserves reaches 50% of its respective registered capital. Our statutory reserves are not distributable as loans, advances or cash dividends. We anticipate that in the foreseeable future our PRC subsidiaries will need to continue to set aside 10% of their respective after-tax profits to their statutory reserves.

In addition, if any of our PRC subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. Any limitations on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to transfer funds to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends and otherwise fund and conduct our business.

In addition, under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (the “EIT Law”), the Circular issued by the State Administration of Taxation on January 29, 2008 regarding a summary on the dividend rates under the double tax treaties (“Notice 112”), the Arrangement between the Mainland of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income (“PRC-HK DTA”), or the Double Taxation Arrangement (Hong Kong), which became effective on December 8, 2006, and the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation Regarding Interpretation and Recognition of Beneficial Owners under Tax Treaties (“Notice 601”), which became effective on October 27, 2009, dividends from our PRC subsidiaries paid to us through our Hong Kong subsidiary may be subject to a withholding tax at a rate of 10%.

This rate may be lowered to 5% if our Hong Kong subsidiary is considered a “beneficial owner” that is generally engaged in substantial business activities and entitled to treaty benefits under the Double Taxation Arrangement (Hong Kong). Furthermore, the ultimate tax rate will be determined by treaty between the PRC and the tax residence of the holder of the PRC subsidiary. We are actively monitoring the proposed withholding tax and are evaluating appropriate organizational changes to minimize the corresponding tax impact.

Dividends we receive from our operating subsidiaries located in the PRC would be subject to PRC withholding tax.

The EIT Law provides that a maximum income tax rate of 20% may be applicable to dividends payable to non-PRC investors that are “non-resident enterprises,” to the extent such dividends are derived from sources within the PRC. The PRC State Council has reduced such rate to 10%, in the absence of any applicable tax treaties that may reduce such rate, through the implementation regulations.

We are a Cayman Islands holding company and substantially all of our income may be derived from dividends we receive from our operating subsidiaries located in the PRC. If we are required under the EIT Law to pay income tax for any dividends we receive from our subsidiaries, the amount of dividends, if any, we may pay to our shareholders and ADS holders may be materially adversely affected.

According to the PRC-HK DTA, Notice 112, Notice 601 and Guoshuihan [2009] No. 81, dividends paid to enterprises incorporated in Hong Kong are subject to a withholding tax of 5% provided that a Hong Kong resident enterprise owns over 25% of the PRC enterprise continuously in the last 12 months before distributing the dividend and can be considered as a “beneficial owner” and entitled to treaty benefits under the PRC-HK DTA.

Cyber Medical Networks Limited (“Cyber Medical”) is a Hong Kong company. Under the aforementioned arrangement, dividends paid to us by Cyber Medical may be subject to the 5% income tax if we and Cyber Medical are considered “non-resident enterprises” under the EIT Law and Cyber Medical is considered as a “beneficial owner” and entitled to treaty benefits under the PRC-HK DTA.

If Cyber Medical is not regarded as the beneficial owner of any such dividends, it will not be entitled to the treaty benefits under the PRC-HK DTA. As a result, such dividends would be subject to normal withholding income tax of 10% as provided by the PRC domestic law rather than the favorable rate of 5% applicable under the PRC-HK DTA.

We may be classified as a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, which could result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders.

The EIT Law provides that enterprises established outside of China whose “effective management organizations” are located in China are considered “resident enterprises” and are generally subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on their worldwide income. In addition, a circular issued by the State Administration of Taxation on April 22, 2009 regarding the standards used to classify certain Chinese-invested enterprises controlled by Chinese enterprises or Chinese group enterprises and established outside of China as “resident enterprises” clarified that dividends and other income paid by such “resident enterprises” will be considered to be PRC source income, subject to PRC withholding tax, currently at a rate of 10%, when recognized by non-PRC enterprise shareholders.

This circular also subjects such “resident enterprises” to various reporting requirements with the PRC tax authorities. Under the implementation regulations to the enterprise income tax, an “effective management organization” is defined as a body that has material and overall management and control over the manufacturing and operations, personnel and human resources, finances and properties of an enterprise. In addition, the circular mentioned above sets out criteria for determining whether “effective management organizations” are located in China for overseas incorporated, domestically controlled enterprises.

However, as this circular only applies to enterprises established outside of China that are controlled by PRC enterprises or groups of PRC enterprises, it remains unclear how the tax authorities will determine the location of “effective management organizations” for overseas incorporated enterprises that have no actual controller like us and some of our subsidiaries. Therefore, although substantially all of our management is currently located in the PRC, it remains unclear whether the PRC tax authorities would require our overseas registered entities to be treated as PRC tax resident enterprises.

We do not currently consider our company to be a PRC tax resident enterprise. However, if the PRC tax authorities disagree with our assessment and determine that we are a “resident enterprise,” we may be subject to enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% on our worldwide income and dividends paid by us to our non-PRC shareholders as well as capital gains recognized by them with respect to the sale of our shares, except for the income from equity investment income such as dividend and bonus between “resident enterprise,” and other resident enterprises of China, which shall be identified as tax-exempted income, may be subject to a PRC withholding tax. This will have an impact on our effective tax rate, materially adversely affect our net income and results of operations, and may require us to withhold tax on our non-PRC shareholders.

Dividends payable by us to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of our ADSs or ordinary shares may become subject to taxes under PRC tax laws.

Under the EIT Law and implementation regulations issued by the PRC State Council, a 10% PRC income tax is applicable to dividends payable to investors that are “non-resident enterprises,” which do not have an establishment or place of business in the PRC or which have such establishment or place of business but have income not effectively connected with the establishment or place of business, to the extent such dividends are derived from sources within the PRC. Similarly, any gain realized on the transfer of ADSs or shares by such investors is also subject to a 10% PRC income tax if such gain is regarded as income derived from sources within the PRC.

It is unclear whether dividends paid on our ordinary shares or ADSs, or any gain realized from the transfer of our ordinary shares or ADSs, would be treated as income derived from sources within the PRC and would as a result be subject to PRC tax. If we are considered a PRC “resident enterprise,” then any dividends paid to our overseas shareholders or ADS holders that are “nonresident enterprises” may be regarded as being derived from PRC sources and, as a result, would be subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of 10%.

In addition, if we are considered a PRC “resident enterprise,” non-resident enterprise shareholders of our ordinary shares or ADSs may be eligible for the benefits of income tax treaties entered into between China and other countries. If we are required under the EIT Law to withhold PRC income tax on dividends payable to our non-PRC investors that are “non-resident enterprises,” or if you are required to pay PRC income tax on the transfer of our ordinary shares or ADSs, the value of your investment in our ordinary shares or ADSs may be materially adversely affected.

If we are found to have failed to comply with applicable laws, we may incur additional expenditures or be subject to significant fines and penalties.

Our operations are subject to PRC laws and regulations applicable to us. However, the scope of many PRC laws and regulations are uncertain, and their implementation could differ significantly in different localities. In certain instances, local implementation rules and their implementation are not necessarily and fully consistent with the regulations at the national level. Although we strive to comply with all applicable PRC laws and regulations, PRC government authorities may determine that we have not complied with certain laws or regulations.

Proceedings instituted recently by the SEC against five PRC-based accounting firms, including our previous independent registered public accounting firm, could result in financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act.

In December 2012, the SEC brought administrative proceedings against five accounting firms in China, including our previous independent registered public accounting firm, alleging that they had refused to produce audit work papers and other documents related to certain other China-based companies under investigation by the SEC. On January 22, 2014, an initial administrative law decision was issued, censuring these accounting firms and suspending four of these firms from practicing before the SEC for six months. The decision is neither final nor legally effective unless and until reviewed and approved by the SEC.

On February 12, 2014, four of these PRC-based accounting firms appealed to the SEC against this decision. In February 2015, each of the four PRC-based accounting firms agreed to a censure and to pay a fine to the SEC to settle the dispute and avoid suspension of their ability to practice before the SEC. The settlement requires the firms to follow detailed procedures to seek to provide the SEC with access to Chinese firms’ audit documents via the CSRC. If the firms do not follow these procedures, the SEC could impose penalties such as suspensions, or it could restart the administrative proceedings.

In the event that the SEC restarts the administrative proceedings, depending upon the final outcome, listed companies in the United States with major PRC operations may find it difficult or impossible to retain auditors in respect of their operations in the PRC, which could result in financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, including possible delisting. Moreover, any negative news about the proceedings against these audit firms may cause investor uncertainty regarding China-based, United States-listed companies and the market price of our ADSs may be adversely affected.

If our independent registered public accounting firm were denied, even temporarily, the ability to practice before the SEC and we were unable to timely find another registered public accounting firm to audit and issue an opinion on our consolidated financial statements, our consolidated financial statements could be determined not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Such a determination could ultimately lead to our delisting from the NYSE or deregistration from the SEC, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our ADSs in the United States.

Risks Related to Our Ordinary Shares and ADSs

The market price for our ADSs may be volatile.

The market price for our ADSs has been and may continue to be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors including the following:

Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and price at which the ADSs will trade. The securities of some China-based companies that have listed their securities in the United States have experienced significant volatility since their initial public offerings in recent years, including, in some cases, substantial declines in the trading prices of their securities. The trading performances of these companies’ securities after their offerings may affect the attitudes of investors towards Chinese companies listed in the United States in general, which consequently may impact the trading performance of the ADSs, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition, any negative news or perceptions about inadequate corporate governance practices or fraudulent accounting, corporate structure or other matters of other Chinese companies may also negatively affect the attitudes of investors towards Chinese companies in general, including us, regardless of whether we have engaged in any inappropriate activities. In particular, the global financial crisis, the ensuing economic recessions and deterioration in the credit market in many countries have contributed and may continue to contribute to extreme volatility in the global stock markets.

Moreover, there have been recent instances of extreme stock price run-ups followed by rapid price declines and strong stock price volatility with a number of recent initial public offerings, particularly among companies with relatively smaller public floats. We may experience greater stock price volatility, including aggressive price run-ups and declines, lower trading volume and less liquidity, compared with companies with larger public floats. In particular, the ADSs may be subject to rapid and substantial price volatility, low volumes of trades and large spreads in bid and ask prices. Such volatility, including any stock run-up, may be unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance, financial condition or prospects, and industry, market or economic factors, which makes it difficult for prospective investors to assess such rapidly changing value of the ADSs. In addition, if the trading volumes of the ADSs are low, persons buying or selling in relatively small quantities may easily influence prices of the ADSs. This low volume of trades could also cause the price of the ADSs to fluctuate significantly, with large percentage changes in price occurring in any trading day session. Holders of the ADSs may also not be able to readily liquidate their investment or may be forced to sell at depressed prices due to such low-volume trading. As a result of such volatility, investors may experience losses on their investment in the ADSs. Such volatility also could adversely affect our ability to issue additional ADSs or other securities and our ability to obtain additional financing in the future, as well as our ability to retain key employees, many of whom have been granted equity incentives. Furthermore, the potential extreme volatility may confuse the public investors of the value of the ADSs, distort the market perception of the price of the ADSs, and our financial performance and public image, and negatively affect the long-term liquidity of the ADSs, regardless of our actual or expected operating performance.

In the past, shareholders of public companies have often brought securities class action suits against companies following periods of instability in the market price of their securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management’s attention and other resources from our business and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit, which could harm our results of operations. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Substantial future sales or perceived sales of our ADSs in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.

Sales of our ADSs or ordinary shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our ADSs to decline. In addition, certain of our shareholders or their transferees and assignees have the right to cause us to register the sale of their shares under the Securities Act upon the occurrence of certain circumstances.

Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration. Sales of these registered shares in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.

Holders of ADSs have fewer rights than shareholders and must act through the depositary to exercise those rights.

Holders of ADSs do not have the same rights as our shareholders and may only exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying ordinary shares in accordance with the deposit agreement. Under the deposit agreement, if the vote is by show of hands, the depositary will vote the deposited securities in accordance with the voting instructions received from a majority of holders of ADSs that provided timely voting instructions. If the vote is by poll, the depositary will vote the deposited securities in accordance with the voting instructions it timely receives from ADS holders. In the event of poll voting, deposited securities for which no instructions are received will not be voted.

Under our fourth amended and restated articles of association, the minimum notice period required to convene a general meeting is seven days. When a general meeting is convened, you may not receive sufficient notice of a shareholders’ meeting to permit you to your ordinary shares to allow you to cast your vote with respect to any specific matter. In addition, the depositary and its agents may not be able to send voting instructions to you or carry out your voting instructions in a timely manner.

We will make all reasonable efforts to cause the depositary to extend voting rights to you in a timely manner, but we cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. Furthermore, the depositary and its agents will not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, for the manner in which any vote is cast or for the effect of any such vote. As a result, you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and you may lack recourse if your ordinary shares are not voted as you requested. In addition, in your capacity as an ADS holder, you will not be able to call a shareholder meeting.

Holders of our Class B ordinary shares will control the outcome of shareholder actions in our company.

Our ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to one vote per share, while holders of Class B ordinary shares are entitled to ten votes per share. In 2018, the Class A ordinary shares held by Morgancreek Investment Holding Limited (“Morgancreek”) were converted into Class B ordinary shares at one-to-one ratio and Morgancreek completed its restructuring. Immediately after the exchange and Morgancreek’s restructuring, the spouse of Dr. Jianyu Yang, our chairman and chief executive officer, indirectly held 70% interest in Morgancreek, Dr. Jianyu Yang became Morgancreek’s sole director and Morgancreek held 38,287,948 of our Class B ordinary shares and 4,660,976 of our ADSs. Dr. Jianyu Yang has the power to direct Morgancreek as to the voting and disposition of the Class B ordinary shares and the ADSs held by Morgancreek. As of the date of this annual report, Dr. Jianyu Yang beneficially held 40.1% in our company, representing 73.2% of the total voting rights in our company.

The greater voting rights of the Class B ordinary shares gives Class B ordinary shareholders the power to control any actions that require shareholder approval under Cayman Islands law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the NYSE requirements. These actions include the election and removal of any member of our board of directors; mergers, consolidations and other business combinations; changes to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association; the number of shares available for issuance under share incentive plans; and the issuance of significant amounts of our ordinary shares in private placements.

Due to the disparate voting rights attached to the two classes of our ordinary shares, holders of our Class B ordinary shares could have sufficient voting rights to determine the outcome of all matters requiring shareholder approval even if it holds considerably less than a majority of the combined total of our outstanding Class A and Class B ordinary shares.

Holders of our Class B ordinary shares may also cause transactions to occur that might not be beneficial to you as a holder of ADSs and may prevent transactions that would be beneficial to you. For example, their voting power may prevent a transaction involving a change of control of us, including transactions in which you as a holder of our ADSs might otherwise receive a premium for your securities over the then-current market price.

Similarly, holders of our Class B ordinary shares may approve a merger or consolidation of our company that may result in you receiving a stake (either in the form of shares, debt obligations or other securities) in the surviving or new consolidated company, which may not operate our current business model and dissenter rights may not be available to you in such an event. This concentrated control could discourage others from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions that holders of Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.

You may be subject to limitations on transfers of your ADSs.

Your ADSs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its transfer books at any time or from time to time when it deems is expedient to do so in connection with the performance of its duties. In addition, the depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of ADSs generally when our books or the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary deem it advisable to do so because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for any other reason.

Your right to participate in any future rights offerings may be limited, which may cause dilution to your holdings and you may not receive cash dividends if it is impractical to make them available to you.

We may, from time to time, distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot make any such rights available to you in the United States unless we register such rights and the securities to which such rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. Also, under the deposit agreement, the depositary bank will not make rights available to you unless the distribution to ADS holders of both the rights and any related securities are either registered under the Securities Act, or exempted from registration under the Securities Act.

We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement to be declared effective. We may also not be able to establish an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in your holdings.

The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on our ordinary shares or other deposited securities after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares your ADSs represent. However, the depositary may, at its discretion, decide that it is inequitable or impractical to make a distribution available to any holders of ADSs.

For example, the depositary may determine that it is not practicable to distribute certain property through the mail, or that the value of certain distributions may be less than the cost of mailing them. In these cases, the depositary may decide not to distribute such property and you will not receive such distribution.

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We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to U.S. domestic public companies.

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Because we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations in the U.S. that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including: (1) the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K; (2) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; (3) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and (4) the selective disclosure rules by issuers of material nonpublic information under Regulation FD.

We are required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. In addition, we intend to publish our financial results on a half-yearly basis as press releases, distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the NYSE. Press releases relating to financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. However, the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC will be less extensive and less timely compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers. As a result, you may not be afforded the same protections or information that would be made available to you were you investing in a U.S. domestic issuer.

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As an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices that differ significantly from the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with the corporate governance requirements.

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As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to elect to rely on home country practice to be exempt from certain corporate governance requirements of the NYSE. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, may differ significantly from the NYSE corporate governance listing standards. For instance, we are not required to: (1) have a majority of the board of directors be independent; (2) have a compensation committee or a corporate governance and nominating committee consisting entirely of independent directors; or (3) have regularly scheduled executive sessions with only independent directors each year. We have relied on and intend to continue to rely on some of these exemptions. See “Item 16G. Corporate Governance.” As a result, you may not be provided with the benefits of certain corporate governance requirements of the NYSE.

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If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding the ADSs, the market price for the ADSs and trading volume could decline.

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The trading market for the ADSs will be influenced by research or reports that industry or securities analysts publish about our business. If one or more analysts who cover us downgrade the ADSs, the market price for the ADSs would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease to cover us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which, in turn, could cause the market price or trading volume for the ADSs to decline.

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Techniques employed by short sellers may drive down the market price of the ADSs.

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Short selling is the practice of selling securities that the seller does not own but rather has borrowed from a third party with the intention of buying identical securities back at a later date to return to the lender. The short seller hopes to profit from a decline in the value of the securities between the sale of the borrowed securities and the purchase of the replacement shares, as the short seller expects to pay less in that purchase than it received in the sale. As it is in the short seller’s interest for the price of the security to decline, many short sellers publish, or arrange for the publication of, negative opinions regarding the relevant issuer and its business prospects in order to create negative market momentum and generate profits for themselves after selling a security short. These short attacks have, in the past, led to selling of shares in the market.

Public companies listed in the United States that have a substantial majority of their operations in China have been the subject of short selling. Much of the scrutiny and negative publicity has centered on allegations of a lack of effective internal control over financial reporting resulting in financial and accounting irregularities and mistakes, inadequate corporate governance policies or a lack of adherence thereto and, in many cases, allegations of fraud. As a result, many of these companies are now conducting internal and external investigations into the allegations and, in the interim, are subject to shareholder lawsuits and/or SEC enforcement actions.

We may be the subject of unfavorable allegations made by short sellers in the future. Any such allegations may be followed by periods of instability in the market price of our ordinary shares and ADSs and negative publicity. If and when we become the subject of any unfavorable allegations, whether such allegations are proven to be true or untrue, we could have to expend a significant amount of resources to investigate such allegations and/or defend ourselves. While we would strongly defend against any such short seller attacks, we may be constrained in the manner in which we can proceed against the relevant short seller by principles of freedom of speech, applicable federal or state law or issues of commercial confidentiality. Such a situation could be costly and time-consuming and could distract our management from growing our business. Even if such allegations are ultimately proven to be groundless, allegations against us could severely impact our business and shareholders’ equity, and the value of any investment in the ADSs could be greatly reduced or rendered worthless.

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The dual-class structure of our ordinary shares may adversely affect the trading market for the ADSs.

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Certain shareholder advisory firms have announced changes to their eligibility criteria for inclusion of shares of public companies on certain indices, including the S&P 500, to exclude companies with multiple classes of shares and companies whose public shareholders hold no more than 5% of total voting power from being added to such indices. In addition, several shareholder advisory firms have announced their opposition to the use of multiple class structures. As a result, the dual class structure of our ordinary shares may prevent the inclusion of the ADSs representing Class A ordinary shares in such indices and may cause shareholder advisory firms to publish negative commentary about our corporate governance practices or otherwise seek to cause us to change our capital structure. Any such exclusion from indices could result in a less active trading market for the ADSs. Any actions or publications by shareholder advisory firms critical of our corporate governance practices or capital structure could also adversely affect the value of the ADSs.

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We may not be able to satisfy listing requirements of the NYSE or obtain or maintain a listing of the ADSs on the NYSE.

As the ADSs are listed on the NYSE, we must meet certain financial and liquidity criteria to maintain such listing. If we violate the NYSE’s listing requirements, or if we fail to meet any of the NYSE’s listing standards, the ADSs may be delisted. In addition, our board of directors may determine that the cost of maintaining our listing on a national securities exchange outweighs the benefits of such listing. The delisting of the ADSs from the NYSE could significantly impair our ability to raise capital and the value of your investment.

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ITEM 4.INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY

A.History and Development of the Company

Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (“Concord Medical”) was incorporated in the Cayman Islands on November 27, 2007 as a limited liability company. Concord Medical became our ultimate holding company on March 7, 2008, when the shareholders of Ascendium Group Limited (“Ascendium”), a holding company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on September 10, 2007, exchanged all of their shares of Ascendium for shares of Concord Medical. Prior to that, on October 30, 2007, Ascendium had acquired 100% of the equity interests in Our Medical Services, Ltd. (“OMS”), resulting in a change in control. We refer to this transaction as the OMS reorganization in this annual report. Prior to the OMS reorganization, OMS, together with Shenzhen Aohua Medical Service Co., Ltd. (“Aohua Medical”), in which OMS effectively held all of the equity interests at the time, operated all of our business.

Aohua Medical was incorporated by OMS on July 23, 1997. OMS contributed RMB4.8 million to Aohua Medical, representing 90% of the equity interests in Aohua Medical. The remaining 10% equity interest in Aohua Medical was held by two nominees who acted as the custodians of such equity interest. On June 10, 2009, this 10% equity interest was transferred to our subsidiary Shenzhen Aohua Medical Leasing and Services Co., Ltd. (“Aohua Leasing”). In December 2011, we effectuated a merger through which Aohua Medical was merged into Aohua Leasing. Aohua Leasing acquired all of the assets and assumed all of the liabilities of Aohua Medical, which was dissolved upon the merger. Aohua Leasing subsequently changed its name to Aohua Technology.

On July 31, 2008, our subsidiary Ascendium acquired 100% of the equity interests in China Medstar Pte. Ltd. (“China Medstar,” subsequently known as Concord Medical Services (International) Pte. Ltd.), together with its wholly owned PRC subsidiary, Shanghai Medstar, for approximately £17.1 million. China Medstar, through its then subsidiary Shanghai Medstar, provided medical equipment leasing and management services to hospitals in the PRC. In 2009, 100% of the equity interests in Shanghai Medstar were transferred from China Medstar to Ascendium.

On October 28, 2008, we acquired 100% of the equity interests in Beijing Yundu through our subsidiaries Aohua Leasing and Concord Healthcare (formerly known as CMS Hospital Management Co., Ltd. and Mezihong Jiahe Medical Science & Technology Development Group Co., Ltd.) with a consideration of approximately RMB35.0 million.

In April 2010, we acquired four radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in Hebei Province with a consideration of RMB60.0 million, including RMB42.0 million in cash and RMB18.0 million in contingent consideration, by acquiring 100% of the equity interests in Tianjin Concord Medical (formerly known as Tianjin Kangmeng Radiology Equipment Management Co., Ltd.).

In May, June and September 2011, we incorporated four holding companies, namely, (1) US Proton Therapy Holdings Limited (BVI) in British Virgin Islands, (2) US Proton Therapy Holdings Limited (Delaware) in Delaware, U.S., (3) Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center Co., Ltd. in PRC, and (4) Medstar Overseas Limited in British Virgin Islands for potential future acquisitions and businesses.

In December 2012, we acquired 19.98% of equity interests in the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center, a leading proton treatment center in the world, with a total consideration of approximately US$32.3 million. In August 2015, we acquired an additional 7.04% equity interest in the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center from an existing owner of the general partner, with a total consideration of approximately US$4.6 million. According to the partnership agreement, we shall have significant influence over the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center. This transaction may enable us to expand our expertise and knowledge base in preparation for the operation of future proton centers. In November 2018, MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center reached an agreement with MD Anderson to sell all its assets and liabilities to MD Anderson, as well as terminating management service agreement between MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center and PTC-Houston Management, LP, at a consideration of RMB212.9 million. In December 2018, we received all the shared consideration from PTC-Houston Management, LP. As a result, we disposed of our equity interest in MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center.

In October 2014, we established a wholly-owned free-standing radiotherapy cancer center, Datong Hospital in Datong City, Shanxi Province, to provide advanced diagnostic and radiotherapy services with 100 beds.

In April 2015, we acquired 100% of the equity interests in Fortis Surgical Hospital (“Fortis Surgical Hospital”) with a consideration of SGD55.0 million in cash from Fortis Healthcare International, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Ltd. In October 2015, we changed the name of the hospital to Concord Cancer Hospital, which provides oncology as its main service, including medical oncology and surgical oncology, in Singapore. In June 2017, we changed its name to Concord International Hospital. In November 2020, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell 90% equity interest in Concord Healthcare Singapore Pte Ltd, which operated and owned Concord International Hospital in Singapore, and ceased control over the management of Concord International Hospital in Singapore. In 2023, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell the remaining equity interest in Concord Healthcare Singapore Pte Ltd with a consideration of SGD5.0 million in cash. The transaction was closed on January 5, 2024 and we no longer held equity interest in Concord Healthcare Singapore Pte Ltd since then. Our divestment of Concord International Hospital allows us to fully concentrate on our efforts to operate hospital business in China.

On January 25, 2016, Concord Healthcare completed its listing on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations, (“NEEQ”) which is also known as the New Third Board in China, for a private placement financing. In September and December 2016, Concord Healthcare completed two rounds of private offerings of additional shares and received proceeds of approximately RMB141.7 million, after which we held an 85.34% equity interest in Concord Healthcare. In February 2018, Concord Healthcare was delisted from NEEQ.

We had previously entered into a series of cooperation agreements with Chang’an Information Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. and certain other shareholder of Beijing Proton Medical Center, which contemplated for us to invest equity capital to Beijing Proton Medical Center project. In January 2016, we acquired from Chang’an Information Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. 100% of the equity interests in Beijing Century Friendship, which held a 55.0% equity interest in Beijing Proton Medical Center, with a total consideration of RMB100.6 million. On December 27, 2023, we entered into a shares transfer agreement with Sallekey Capital Management Limited. pursuant to which we sold 100% of the equity interests in King Cheers Holdings Limited (“King Cheers”) held by Ascendium, together with the 25.0% of the equity interests in Beijing Proton Medical Center through King Cheers, at a nominal consideration of HK$1.00. The sale and the equity interest transfer were completed on December 27, 2023. As a result, we indirectly held a 54.01% equity interest in Beijing Proton Medical Center through Beijing Century Friendship. Beijing Century Friendship previously engaged in the establishment and construction of Beijing Proton Medical Center. The cooperation agreements for the Beijing Proton Medical Center project was terminated in 2022.

On February 22, 2016, the board of Concord Healthcare approved a restructuring plan (the “Reorganization”), pursuant to which Concord Healthcare acquired 100% of the equity interests in Aohua Technology with a consideration of approximately RMB322.7 million in cash and 100% of the equity interests in Beijing Century Friendship with a consideration of approximately RMB100.6 million in cash. After completion of the Reorganization in September 2016, Concord Healthcare holds the network business which was formerly under Aohua Technology’s management, and our hospital business in China.

In November 2016, we entered into a framework agreement, as amended, with Zhongrong Guofu Investment Management Company Limited (“ZR Guofu”) to establish an offshore fund, namely Zhongrong International Growth Fund SPC - ZR Concord Healthcare Investment Fund SP (“SP”), for the purpose of acquiring our several hospital businesses, including Concord International Hospital, Guangzhou Hospital and PTC-Houston Management, LP (collectively, the “CCM Hospital Business”). Pursuant to the framework agreement, among others, ZR Guofu shall provide management and consultation services on the funds, and we shall continue to manage the CCM Hospital Business. ZR Guofu subscribed Class A shares of SP with a consideration of RMB521.4 million, while we subscribed Class B shares of the SP with the consideration of creditor’s rights of RMB166.3 million due from CCM Hospital Business and cash of RMB7.5 million. In 2016, ZR Guofu and we injected RMB521.4 million and RMB7.5 million, respectively, to the SP, which was then provided to the CCM Hospital Business as loans. After the restructuring mentioned below, only Concord International Hospital was retained in the CCM Hospital Business.

In 2016, ZR Guofu and we established an onshore fund, Guofu Huimei. The registered capital of Guofu Huimei is RMB1,009.0 million. In 2016, ZR Guofu and we subscribed the registered capital of RMB746.0 million and RMB263.0 million, respectively, for a 73.93% equity interest and a 26.07% equity interest, respectively, in Guofu Huimei. The capital injection was completed in April 2017. In 2018, ZR Guofu and Guofu Huimei reached an agreement, pursuant to which ZR Guofu withdrew its investments in Guofu Huimei. As a result, ZR Guofu exited the onshore fund, Guofu Huimei, and our equity interest in Guofu Huimei increased to 100%.

In April 2017, ZR Guofu and we entered into a supplemental contract to the framework agreement, pursuant to which, Guofu Huimei will be used as the platform to invest and provide loans to some domestic entities engaging in hospital business. Among others, during 2017, Guofu Huimei acquired a 78.31% equity interest in Beijing Century Friendship, which held a 55% equity interest in Beijing Proton Medical Center, with a consideration of RMB388.5 million and a 54.8% equity interest in Shanghai Outpatient Department with a consideration of RMB182.1 million through capital injections. As a result of the foregoing, our effective equity interest in Beijing Century Friendship decreased from 100% to 42.1%, our total effective equity interest in Beijing Proton Medical Center decreased to 48.16% (through Beijing Century Friendship and King Cheers) from 80%, and our total effective equity interest in Shanghai Outpatient Department was 49.48% (after more acquisitions by our other subsidiaries in 2017). In June 2018, Concord Healthcare entered into agreements with Guofu Huimei to purchase its 78.31% equity interest in Beijing Century Friendship and 54.8% equity interest in Shanghai Outpatient Department with a consideration of RMB388.5 million and RMB182.1 million, respectively. Meanwhile, ZR Guofu and Guofu Huimei reached an agreement, pursuant to which ZR Guofu withdrew its original investments in Guofu Huimei. Therefore, we held a 100% equity interest in Beijing Century Friendship, an 80% equity interest in Beijing Proton Medical Center and a 90% equity interest in Shanghai Outpatient Department through our wholly-owned or majority-owned subsidiaries upon execution and closing of the agreement. In October 2018, we obtained the control of Beijing Century Friendship, Beijing Proton Medical Center and Shanghai Outpatient Department. As of the date of this annual report, we held a 100.0% equity interest in Beijing Century Friendship and an 55.0% equity interest in Beijing Proton Medical Center.

Pursuant to the supplemental contract, the 75% equity interest in SP held by the ZR Guofu is contractually required to be repurchased by us at the end of four years from the establishment of SP in November 2016 at a consideration equivalent to the investment cost of RMB521.4 million. ZR Guofu is also entitled to an annual premium at 15% for its capital contribution of RMB521.4 million in SP in the form of interest expense and consultation expense. In addition, our share in Beijing Century Friendship, certain construction in progress and certain land use rights are pledged to secure our obligation to repurchase capital contribution from ZR Guofu.

In November 2017, ZR Guofu transferred its rights to the mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interest in SP to Tianjin Jiatai Enterprise Management Center (LP) (“Tianjin Jiatai”).

On December 20, 2017, we repaid a loan with principal of RMB97.1 million to ZR Guofu and repurchased a 100% equity interest in China Medical Services Holdings Limited (“CMS Holdings”) with a consideration of US$1.0. Upon completion, we pledged the shares in CMS Holdings to ZR Guofu.

In 2018, ZR Guofu and Guofu Huimei reached an agreement, pursuant to which ZR Guofu withdrew its investments in Guofu Huimei. In September 2018, ZR Guofu completed the withdrawal of its investments in Guofu Huimei and exited Guofu Huimei, and we became the sole shareholder of Guofu Huimei. We obtained control of Guofu Huimei in October 2018. We held a 100% equity interest in Guofu Huimei. In addition, after Guofu Huimei became our wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Rongchi and Tianjin Jiatai became our equity investees. During 2019, Tianjin Jiatai made capital injection in a total of RMB34.5 million to Shanghai Imaging Center, and increased the equity interest in it from 56.77% to 78.34%. In July 2019, we entered into an agreement with Tianjin Jiatai, to purchase all of its 90% equity interest in Wuxi Hospital at a consideration of RMB27.0 million. After the acquisition, Wuxi Hospital became our wholly owned subsidiary. In August 2019, we further injected capital of RMB82.1 million to Wuxi Hospital. In September 2019, we entered into an agreement with ZR Guofu, pursuant to which ZR Guofu sold its 77.18% equity interest in Tianjin Jiatai to us at a cash consideration of RMB421.7 million. We paid the consideration in August and September 2019 and completed the related registration on November 18, 2019. In November 2019, ZR Guofu entered into another agreement with us and Tianjin Jiatai to withdraw from Tianjin Jiatai and its subsidiaries. As a result of ZR Guofu’s withdrawal, we became the sole shareholder of Tianjin Jiatai and its subsidiaries, including Shanghai Imaging Center, Wuxi Hospital, Heze Meizhong Jiahe Cancer Center Co., Ltd. (“Heze Meizhong Jiahe”), Shanghai Rongchi and Oriental Light Group Limited.

In October 2017, an indirect subsidiary of Fosun International Limited, a company organized under the laws of Hong Kong principally engaged in creating customer-to-maker ecosystems in health, happiness and wealth, entered into a share purchase agreement with the affiliates of Carlyle Group (“Carlyle entities”) to purchase all of our ordinary shares beneficially owned by the Carlyle entities, which accounted for approximately 9.9% of our then total issued and outstanding shares. The transaction closed in November 2017.

In March 2018 and July 2018, we, the investment institutions led by CICC Capital Management Company Limited (“CICC Capital”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of China International Capital Corporation Limited, and other investors entered into agreements pursuant to which the parties jointly made a strategic investment in our subsidiary, Concord Healthcare. The total investment was RMB1.5 billion. Upon completion of the investment, those investment institutions led by CICC Capital and the other minority investors held a total of approximately 40% of the equity interests in Concord Healthcare and our equity interest in Concord Healthcare was diluted to approximately 60%. As of December 31, 2019, our effective equity interest in Concord Healthcare was approximately 60%. In February 2020, we and CITIC Industrial Investment Group Limited (“CITIC”) entered into agreements pursuant to which CITIC will make an investment of approximately RMB700.0 million in Concord Healthcare, subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions. Upon completion in March 2020, our ownership in Concord Healthcare was diluted from approximately 60% to approximately 50%. In April 2021, we entered into an investment agreement with five entities and one individual, pursuant to which these investors subscribed an aggregate of 18,805,826 newly issued shares of Concord Healthcare with a total consideration of RMB400.0 million. In April 2022, we transferred 2.05% of the equity interest in Concord Healthcare to Shanghai Xinhe Enterprise Management Center (Limited Partnership) (“Shanghai Xinhe”), the sole limited partner of which is Shanghai Medstar. In December 2020 and April 2021, we obtained declaration of certain noncontrolling shareholders, pursuant to which they irrevocably delegate their voting rights in the general meeting of shareholders of Concord Healthcare to our group during the period they own the equity interest in Concord Healthcare. In April 2022, we obtained the declaration of Shanghai Xinhe, pursuant to which it irrevocably delegates its voting rights in the general meeting of shareholders of Concord Healthcare to our group during the period it owns the equity interest in Concord Healthcare. Subsequently, on March 9, 2023, Shanghai Medstar transferred 27.27% of the partnership interest in Shanghai Xinhe to Shanghai Linen International Trading Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Linen”), a limited liability company established in the PRC and ultimately controlled by Ms. Sirong Tian (a shareholder of Model Oasis Limited and Solar Honor Limited), at a consideration of RMB60.0 million, which was fully settled on March 10, 2023. Upon completion of such transfer, limited partners of Shanghai Xinhe are Shanghai Medstar and Shanghai Linen, which hold 72.73% and 27.27% of the partnership interest in Shanghai Xinhe, respectively. In June 2023, we and several of our subsidiaries signed a Capital Increase and Share Purchase Agreement with CSPC NBP Pharmaceutical Co., Limited (“NBP”). Pursuant to the agreement, NBP purchased 4.17% shares of Concord Healthcare with the consideration of RMB300.0 million (US$42.3 million). After the completion of all transactions mentioned above, our equity interest in Concord Healthcare had been diluted to 42.09% as of December 31, 2023. In June 2023, we successively obtained declaration from certain of the noncontrolling shareholders of Concord Healthcare pursuant to which the noncontrolling shareholder delegates its voting rights in the general meeting of shareholders of Concord Healthcare to the Group irrevocably during the period it owns the share interest in Concord Healthcare, after the transaction mentioned above in June 2023. We remained control of Concord Healthcare with 50.08% of the voting right of Concord Healthcare as of December 31, 2023.

We established Shanghai Imaging Center in January 2018, which commenced operation in April 2020. Through Shanghai Imaging Center, we introduce world-class diagnostic technology and management services, covering the Yangtze River Delta Region through a remote sharing consultation platform, and provide a full range of imaging diagnosis and high-quality services for domestic and foreign commercial insurance patients.

On February 28, 2019, CMS Holdings entered into a shares purchase agreement with Merge Limited to purchase 20% equity interest of Zhejiang Marine Leasing Ltd (“Zhejiang Marine”) to expand our medical equipment leasing and management business. As we held 20% equity interest in and had the ability to exercise significant influence over the Zhejiang Marine, we applied the equity method of accounting to the investment. The registration change was completed on June 10, 2020 and Zhejiang Marine became our associate company since then.

We acquired Guangzhou Outpatient Department in April 2020. Guangzhou Outpatient Department is an affiliated oncology specialty outpatient department to our Guangzhou Hospital. Located in downtown Guangzhou, it primarily provides cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and health management services for outpatients. Guangzhou Hospital is a comprehensive cancer hospital offering a full spectrum of cancer care for both inpatients and outpatients, which commenced operation in June 2021.

In November and December 2020 and January 2021, certain of our subsidiaries obtained a 26.34% equity interest of Healthingkon with the total consideration of an 89% equity interest of Shanghai Imaging Center and RMB21.5 million. The acquisition date was on January 4, 2021, when we actually obtained the shareholder rights of Healthingkon. On the same day, one of our subsidiaries entered into an acting-in-concert agreement with two other shareholders of Healthingkon, pursuant to which the two shareholders agreed to be coordinated actors on the matters related to shareholders’ rights of Healthingkon. Pursuant to the agreement, we obtained majority control over Healthingkon. Shanghai Imaging Center was under the control and consolidation of us before and after the transaction.

Concord Healthcare, our subsidiary, filed an application to list a minority stake of its shares (the “Concord Healthcare Shares”) on HKSE on May 31, 2022 and refiled the application on January 30, 2023 following the expiry of the intial application. On January 9, 2024, Concord Healthcare listed a minority stake of 39,420,200 H shares at an initial public offer price of HK$14.28 per H share on the Main Board of the HKSE under the stock code 2453.HK. Concord Healthcare’s H shares began to trade on the HKSE on January 9, 2024. The information related to the listing of Concord Healthcare’s H shares on the HKSE is accessible through the HKSE’s website at www.hkexnews.hk.

On December 12, 2022, Guangzhou Concord Pharmacy Co., Ltd. was established under the laws of the PRC with a registered capital of RMB10 million, which is owned as to 70% by Concord Healthcare and as to 30% by Guangzhou Concord Medical Sci-Tech Innovation Center Ltd.

In December 2022, we entered into a shares transfer agreement with Shanghai Epu Supply Chain Technology Co. Ltd (“Shanghai Epu”) and Shanghai Rongsheng Medical Management Co., Ltd (“Shanghai Rongsheng”), pursuant to which we sold all the equity interests in Guofu Huimei including 91.4% of the equity interests in Guofu Huimei held by Medstar SH, and 8.6% of the equity interests in Guofu Huimei held by Beijing Concord Medical Technology Limited and its subsidiaries, to Shanghai Epu and Shanghai Rongsheng at the consideration of RMB190.0 million. The sale and the equity interest transfer were completed on December 26, 2022. As a result of the completion of such transaction, we disposed of our equity interests in Guofu Huimei and its subsidiaries, namely Tianjin Jiatai, Shanghai Rongchi, Oriental Light Group Limited and China Medstar.

See “—C. Organizational Structure” for our effective equity interests in our subsidiaries as of December 31, 2023.

As of the date of this annual report, we conduct substantially all of our operations through Datong Hospital, Shanghai Imaging Center, Guangzhou Outpatient Department, Guangzhou Hospital, Shanghai Outpatient Department, Shanghai General Practice Clinic and Yinchuan Meizhong Jiahe Internet Hospital Ltd. in PRC for our hospital business and the following subsidiaries for our network business in the PRC:

See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Cash Flows and Working Capital—Acquisitions and Capital Expenditures” for more details of the capital expenditures.

Our principal executive offices are located at Room A1-A5 26/F, East Zone, Hanwei Plaza, No. 7 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China 100020. Our telephone number at this address is (86 10) 5903-6688 and our fax number is (86 10) 5957-5252. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at P.O. Box 31119 Grand Pavilion, Hibiscus Way, 802 West Bay Road, Grand Cayman, KY1-1205, Cayman Islands. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Corporation Service Company, located at 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, DE USA 19808. Our website is www.concordmedical.com. The information contained on our website is not a part of this annual report.

The SEC also maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. Our annual report and some of the other information submitted by us to the SEC may also be accessed through this website.

Initial Public Offering

On December 11, 2009, our ADSs were listed on the NYSE.

Dual Class Share Structure

In January 2015, our shareholders approved the creation of a dual class share structure. In October 2018, Bluestone Holdings Limited, a company indirectly wholly owned by Mr. Zheng Cheng, transferred its shares in Morgancreek to companies wholly owned by Ms. Sirong Tian and Ms. Bi Zhang, the spouse of Dr. Jianyu Yang, respectively. On the same day, all the Class A ordinary shares held by Morgancreek were converted into Class B ordinary shares. Morgancreek transferred 7,500,000 Class B ordinary shares to Bluestone. Upon completion of these transactions, Mr. Zhou and Ms. Zhang indirectly hold 30% and 70% shares of Morgancreek, respectively, and Dr. Cheng holds ordinary shares of our company through Bluestone. As of the date of this annual report, 130,251,685 ordinary shares were outstanding, including 84,463,737 Class A ordinary shares (excluding treasury shares issued and reserved for future issuance upon the exercising or vesting of awards granted under our share incentive plans) and 45,787,948 Class B ordinary shares. Class A ordinary shares are each entitled to one vote, whereas Class B ordinary shares are each entitled to ten votes.

B.Business Overview

Overview

We provide a full spectrum of oncology healthcare services to cancer patients across the entire care continuum through our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics. Through our network business, we also empower a widespread network of enterprise customers, especially our hospital partners, with integrated oncology-related solutions, including primarily the supply, management and technical support for medical equipment and software solutions. As of December 31, 2023, we had six self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics in operation in China, including two cancer hospitals, three cancer diagnosis and treatment clinics and one imaging diagnosis center. In addition, we also operate an internet hospital. As of the same date, we provided equipment leasing and comprehensive support services for 10 cooperative centers based in eight hospitals, spanning over eight cities across five provinces and administrative regions in China. These hospitals substantially consist of 3A hospitals, the highest ranked hospitals by quality and size in China as determined in accordance with the standards of NHC in China (formerly the Ministry of Health). We also provide other services, primarily including medical solutions and support services, as part of our network business to other enterprise customers.

Cancer has become a serious global public health problem. According to the independent industry report prepared by our industry consultant, China had a large number of newly diagnosed cancer patients and cancer-related deaths in 2022, accounting for approximately 23.8% of the new cancer cases and 26.9% of the cancer-related deaths worldwide. However, China’s oncology healthcare service is still in the early stages of development facing challenges in the scarcity and uneven distribution of medical resources, resulting in patient overcrowding especially in public hospitals in first-tier cities. With the growing demand and improving access for cancer treatment, the market size of China’s oncology healthcare service market, in terms of revenue, grew from RMB265.6 billion in 2016 to RMB495.1 billion in 2022, at a CAGR of 10.9%, and is expected to reach RMB768.7 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 11.6% from 2022 to 2026. Mortality of cancer per year in China increased from approximately 2.4 million in 2016 to approximately 2.8 million in 2022 and is estimated to reach approximately 3.3 million in 2026. The number of cancer cases and cancer-caused death is expected to increase in the next decade. Major factors that contribute to the increase of cancer cases include demographic reasons, such as aging population and obesity prevalence.

Radiotherapy is considered a mature treatment for many types of cancer. For example, nasopharyngeal cancer (“NPC”), also known as “Canton Cancer,” is the most prevalent cancer in Southern China, including Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian Provinces, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan. The most common treatment of NPC is radiotherapy or comprehensive therapy based on radiotherapy. In the future, more advanced treatment methods, such as proton therapy, are expected to be used for the treatment of NPC patients. Proton therapy can significantly reduce the radiation damage to the critical organs. We are working with leading domestic and international medical institutions to develop a clinical workflow of proton therapy for NPC. We are also working with such institutions to reduce the cancer survival rate gap between China and U.S., by providing more advanced medical treatment to our patients. We believe that our experience and expertise accumulated from the operation of our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics and our cooperative centers uniquely position us to address the underserved market in China for radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging services.

We have established most of the cooperative centers in our network through long-term lease and management services arrangements with our hospital partners. Under these arrangements, we receive a contracted percentage of each cooperative center’s revenue. Each cooperative center is located on the premises of our hospital partners and is typically equipped with a primary unit of advanced radiotherapy or diagnostic imaging equipment, such as a linear accelerator, head gamma knife system, PET-CT scanner or MRI scanner. We provide clinical support services to doctors who work in the cooperative centers in our network. These services include developing treatment protocols for doctors and organizing joint diagnosis between doctors in our network and clinical research. In addition, we help recruit and determine the compensation of doctors and other medical personnel in our network and are typically in charge of most of the non-clinical aspects of the centers’ daily operations, including marketing, training and administrative duties. Our hospital partners are responsible for the centers’ clinical activities, the medical decisions made by doctors, and the employment of the doctors in accordance with regulations.

We believe that our success is largely due to the high-quality clinical care provided at our network of centers and our market-oriented management culture and practices. Many of the doctors who work in our network have extensive clinical experience in radiotherapy, some of whom are recognized as leading experts in radiation oncology in China. We enhance the quality of clinical care in our network through established training of, and on-going clinical education for, doctors in our network.

We believe that our market-oriented management culture and practices allow us to manage cooperative centers more efficiently and offer more consistent and better patient services than our competitors. We believe that our success has allowed us to develop a strong reputation within the medical community, which in turn gives us a competitive advantage in gaining patient referrals and establishing new cooperative centers.

To complement our organic growth, we have selectively acquired businesses. In July 2008, we acquired China Medstar, a company then publicly listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM) for approximately £17.1 million. At the time of the acquisition, China Medstar jointly managed 23 centers with its hospital partners across 14 cities in China. In April 2010, we acquired four radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in Hebei Province with a consideration of RMB60.0 million by acquiring 100% of the equity interests in Tianjin Concord Medical (formerly known as Tianjin Kangmeng Radiology Equipment Management Co., Ltd.). On February 28, 2019, we purchased 20% equity interest of Zhejiang Marine to expand our shares in medical equipment leasing and management market. Medical equipment leasing and management business is a conventional sector of our business in which we are responsible for purchasing the medical equipment used in our hospital clients. We lease the medical equipment to hospitals for a fixed period, establish and manage cooperative centers, and receive a contracted percentage of each center’s revenue. See also “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—Financial Impact of Our Acquisitions and Disposals.”

As part of our growth strategy, we plan to (1) establish and operate proton centers and expand the operations of our cancer hospitals and clinics, (2) provide cloud system solutions of medical devices for more enterprise customers, (3) further develop our internet hospital focusing on remote cancer services, and (4) further develop our medical equipment leasing and management business.

Since 2010, we have been focusing on developing our own proton centers and cancer hospitals and clinics. We have been establishing free-standing radiotherapy cancer centers in China which we own and register as specialty cancer hospitals with required departments, including radiation, imaging, test laboratory, inpatient and nursing. Datong Hospital, the first cancer hospital under our Meizhong Jiahe brand, opened preliminarily in May 2016 and officially opened for operations in May 2017.

We are in the process of establishing and operating new cancer hospitals and proton centers in China to develop our hospital business. We have one planned hospital in China, namely Shanghai Hospital, and two hospitals in operation in China, namely Guangzhou Hospital and Datong Hospital, which provide premium cancer treatment services to our patients. We commenced construction of Shanghai Hospital in September 2017 with an estimated construction period of five years. The construction project was prolonged due to the suspension of construction activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect to commence the operation of Shanghai Hospital in January 2026. We also commenced construction of Guangzhou Hospital in November 2017, and the construction was completed in October 2020. Guangzhou Hospital has been in operation since June 2021. In addition, we also plan to commence the construction of the phase II expansion to Guangzhou Hospital in 2026.

Shanghai Imaging Center has officially opened and has commenced operation since April 2020. Shanghai Imaging Center is located on the second floor of the Medical Technology Center of Shanghai Xinhongqiao International Medical Park (the “Xinhongqiao Park”), which is the center of the Xinhongqiao Park. Shanghai Imaging Center provides high-quality diagnostic imaging services, such as radiology, ultrasound and nuclear medicine, diagnosis and remote consultation, education and training, to all the medical institutions, premium clinics and medical institutions around the Xinhongqiao Park. Advanced imaging diagnostic equipment, such as CT, magnetic resonance, PET-CT and PET-MR, have been installed in Shanghai Imaging Center.

We believe our planned proton centers will offer the most advanced and cutting-edge treatment to cancer patients by providing services such as proton therapy, the most sophisticated radiotherapy currently available in the market. Proton therapy is a form of external beam radiotherapy that uses beams of protons rather than the x-ray beams used by linear accelerators. The advantages of proton therapy compared to other types of external beam radiotherapy is that a proton beam’s signature energy distribution curve, known as the “Bragg peak,” allows for greater accuracy in targeting tumor cells so that healthy tissue is exposed to a smaller dosage. Proton therapy can focus cell damage caused by the proton beam at the precise depth of the tissue where the tumor is situated, while tissues located before the Bragg peak receive a reduced dose and tissues situated after the peak receive none. These advantages make proton therapy a preferred option for treating certain types of cancers where conventional radiotherapy would damage surrounding tissues to an unacceptable level, such as tumors near optical nerves, the spinal cord or central nervous system and in the head and neck area, as well as prostate cancer and cancer in pediatric cases. We have completed the construction of the proton center of our Guangzhou Hospital, and we expect to commence operation of the proton center of Shanghai Hospital deployed in 2027. In addition, we commenced the construction of Beijing Proton Medical Center in June 2017. The construction was suspended and delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the failure of one of the shareholders to perform its obligations under the related cooperation agreements. The cooperation agreements for the Beijing Proton Medical Center project was terminated in 2022. In December 2012, we acquired indirect ownership of 19.98% of the equity interests in the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center. In August 2015, we acquired an additional 7.04% equity interest in the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center from an existing owner of the general partner to expand our expertise and knowledge base in preparation for the future operation of proton centers in China. In November 2018, MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center reached an agreement with MD Anderson to sell all its assets and liabilities to MD Anderson, as well as terminating management service agreement between MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center and PTC-Houston Management, LP. at a consideration of RMB212.9 million. As a result, we disposed of our equity interest in MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center.

We are developing our cloud system solutions from our existing medical equipment and consumable sales services. We have integrated our online and offline medical resources into our cloud system solutions which consists of various cloud platforms to offer a range of cloud-based services, including primarily digitalized display and processing of diagnostic pathology and diagnostic imaging results; remote consultation, radiation modeling, therapy customization and quality control; medical equipment supply chain management; as well as joint research, training and technological support. Our cloud system solutions serve to improve the oncology healthcare service quality in remote or less economically-developed regions and alleviate the uneven distribution of critical healthcare resources in China. Specifically, in 2020 and 2021, we launched Jiahe Feiyun Intelligent Radiation Therapy Cloud Service Platform, Jiahe Yunying Remote Imaging Information Diagnosis Platform and Jiahe Cloud Asset Management Platform, as integral components to our cloud system solutions which focus on the efficiency and efficacy of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

We also developed an internet hospital that focuses on cancer diagnosis and treatment. The development of our internet hospital started from October 2020 and our internet hospital obtained the medical institution practicing license in April 2021 and has been in operation since May 2021. Based on offline medical institutions and combined with online platforms, the hospital provides cancer patients with full-process medical services from cancer prevention to recovery. Our internet hospital offers specialized and customized services, such as medical safety and medication guidance for patients, which distinguishes our internet hospital form the other internet hospitals focusing on common diseases. Combined with our offline medical services, our internet hospital will expand the boundaries of our business.

Our business structure has evolved in recent years through the development of new cancer hospitals and clinics, such as Guangzhou Hospital which commenced operation in June 2021, and cancer clinics, such as Shanghai General Practice Clinic which commented operation in September 2021. Our total net revenues were RMB485.6 million, RMB472.1 million and RMB537.4 million (US$75.7 million) in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—Key Components of Results of Operations—Revenues” regarding our total net revenues by segments and our total net revenues by geographic regions in 2021, 2022 and 2023. For additional information relating to our history and reorganization and our financial presentation, see “—A. History and Development of the Company,” “—C. Organizational Structure” and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects.”

Our Hospital Business

We provide a full cycle of premium oncology healthcare services including screening, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment health management to patients through our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics. As of December 31, 2023, we had six self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics in operation in China, including two cancer hospitals, three cancer diagnosis and treatment clinics and one imaging diagnosis center. In addition, we also operate an internet hospital. We were also in the process of constructing Shanghai Hospital as of December 31, 2023. Leveraging our accumulated oncology healthcare technology and experience, we strive to provide increasingly more personalized and comprehensive services through omni-channels to meet the evolving demands of cancer patients in China.

Typically, in China, the various specialist doctors such as surgeons, radiation oncologists or medical oncologists who provide care to a given cancer patient do not collaborate. We believe that the quality of cancer treatment is greatly improved at our cancer hospitals and clinics, where we will employ and manage the various specialist doctors directly and promote the multi-disciplinary collaboration of their services for the benefit of cancer patients. We believe that these cancer hospitals and clinics has been playing an important role in strengthening our reputation as the leading provider of oncology healthcare services in China and developing our corporate brand.

We commenced our strategic collaboration with MD Anderson initially with several clinical and quality management programs in 2015. We renewed our collaboration in 2020 for another ten years by entering into a consulting agreement between Concord Hospital Management Group Ltd. (“Concord HK”), our wholly owned subsidiary in Hong Kong, and MD Anderson. Pursuant to our collaboration, MD Anderson has been providing us with comprehensive consultation and support in the form of, among others, clinical practice development, cancer center development, medical direction, physician and staff education, as well as research, strategic and business support to our local operations, primarily including our cancer hospitals and clinics in China. Our cancer hospitals and clinics have continued to benefit from MD Anderson’s expertise in cutting-edge cancer treatment, such as proton therapy and precision radiation therapy, and the associated quality control protocols and methodologies, such as their longstanding MDT practice guideline. In return of the collaboration, Concord HK pays fixed installment service fees to MD Anderson. At the other hand, Concord Healthcare, our operating subsidiary in China that manages our local cancer hospitals and clinics, compensates Concord HK at cost under the collaboration program.

We purchase all the medical equipment for our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics, and employ and manage all the personnel, including doctors, nurses, medical technicians and administrative personnel. The cancer hospitals and clinics are licensed as for-profit hospitals in China and subject to PRC laws and regulations and permits requirements.

In order to establish a medical institution, we need to apply for and receive approvals and permits/licenses from various government authorities and agencies. Since 2012, companies that are registered in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are permitted to establish wholly-owned medical institutions in selected cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and certain cities in Jiangsu Province, Fujian Province, Hainan Province and Guangdong Province, after obtaining relevant permits from the local authorities and agencies, the procedure of which may be substantially different in various regions. The procedure to establish a wholly-owned foreign medical institution in Beijing, for instance, also requires applications to the several government agencies and departments, including local public health bureau, fire department and environmental protection bureau. These agencies need to review the application from different perspectives, such as compliance with local healthcare planning, fire safety and environment impact. If radiation therapy is included in the services to be offered, radiation protection review will be included in the procedures as well. After reviews are completed and approvals from the above agencies are received, we can apply to the local public health bureau for a permit of operations for foreign-invested medical institution. Then we need to apply to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce for permit to establish foreign-invested corporation, after which we can apply to the local administration of industry and commerce to obtain a license for the registration of the corporation. All of our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics have received these permits or equivalents.

Pursuant to the applicable PRC laws and regulations, a private for-profit medical institution is generally entitled to set the prices of its services at its own discretion. We price the oncology healthcare services provided by our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics based on a number of factors, including complexity of the treatment, operating costs, local market conditions and competitors’ pricing of similar services. At our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics that are medical insurance designated medical institutions, including Guangzhou Hospital, Datong Hospital, Guangzhou Outpatient Department and Shanghai Outpatient Department, we are required to set the prices for services covered by the public medical insurance programs in accordance with the pricing guidelines adopted under such programs in order for our patients to be eligible for reimbursements.

Our Cancer Hospitals

Guangzhou Hospital

Guangzhou Hospital is a comprehensive cancer hospital offering a full spectrum of cancer care for both inpatients and outpatients supported by our professional multi-disciplinary experts, which has been in operation since June 2021. Specifically, Guangzhou Hospital provides patients with the entire process of cancer diagnosis and treatment services, including diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, interventional radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and surgical treatment.

In January 2011, we entered into a framework agreement with Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center and a third party to build Guangzhou Hospital, a 400-bed cancer hospital in Guangzhou with a planned gross floor area of 40,000 square meters for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In May 2012, we obtained the approval of establishing medical institution from the NHC of Guangdong Province. Guangzhou Hospital was granted the land usage rights from the local land administrative bureau in 2012 and obtained the relevant land use rights certificate in 2013. The construction of this hospital project commenced in November 2017 and completed in October 2020. Guangzhou Hospital has been in operation since June 2021. In addition, we plan to commence the construction of the phase II expansion to Guangzhou Hospital in 2026.

Shanghai Hospital

Shanghai Hospital is designed to be a comprehensive cancer hospital with 400 beds and a planned gross floor area of 158,769 square meters located in Xinhongqiao Park. In April 2014, we received the government approval for the establishment of Shanghai Hospital. Our Shanghai Hospital will utilize the advance domestic and international therapeutic methods, medical process and management system. The hospital plans to install the most advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment equipment and multi-disciplinary system. The construction of this hospital project commenced in September 2017 with an estimated construction period of five years. The construction project was prolonged due to the suspension of construction activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect to commence the operation of Shanghai Hospital in January 2026 and commence the operation of its proton center in 2027.

Datong Hospital

Datong Hospital is the first independent cancer specialty hospital in our system, which has officially been in operation since May 2017. It provides advanced, best-practice diagnostic and radiotherapy services with 100 beds and a gross floor area of 5,983 square meters.

In October 2014, we established a wholly-owned radiotherapy cancer center, Datong Hospital in Datong City, Shanxi Province. Datong Hospital opened preliminarily in May 2016 and officially opened for operation in May 2017.

Our Cancer Clinics

In May 2017, we opened Shanghai Outpatient Department in Shanghai to provide outpatient services, imaging diagnosis services and daily radiotherapy and chemotherapy services. Patients at Shanghai Outpatient Department can enjoy public medical insurance reimbursement for our services including outpatient consultation, chemotherapy, accelerator radiotherapy, laboratory tests and imaging tests (such as MRI, CT, B-ultrasound, mammography, electrocardiogram). Furthermore, patients who live in the Yangtze River Delta region outside Shanghai can also enjoy public medical insurance reimbursement for services at our Shanghai Outpatient Department under the off-site settlement program. Shanghai Outpatient Department is registered as a specialty cancer hospital with required departments, including radiation, imaging, test laboratory, inpatient and nursing. This free-standing facility constitutes an important step of our broader strategy to build a nationwide chain of free-standing cancer treatment and diagnosis medical institutions in the future.

In April 2020, we acquired Guangzhou Outpatient Department. Guangzhou Outpatient Department is an affiliated oncology specialty outpatient department to our Guangzhou Hospital, with its core specialty in breast cancer. Located in downtown Guangzhou, it primarily provides cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and health management services for outpatients and is equipped with advanced oncology diagnostic equipment such as color doppler ultrasound, mammography, endoscopy and CT.

In April 2020, Shanghai Imaging Center officially opened. Shanghai Imaging Center is located on the second floor of the Xinhongqiao Park, which is the center of the Xinhongqiao Park. Shanghai Imaging Center provides high-quality diagnostic imaging services, such as radiology, ultrasound and nuclear medicine, diagnosis and remote consultation, education and training, to all the medical institutions, premium clinics and medical institutions around the Xinhongqiao Park. Advanced imaging diagnostic equipment, such as CT, magnetic resonance, PET-CT and PET-MR, have been installed in Shanghai Imaging Center.

In September 2020, we established Datong Clinic in Datong City, Shanxi Province, which officially opened for operation in November 2020. Datong Clinic features traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture and fire moxibustion therapy to provide various cancer related outpatient services. We strategically ceased the operation of Datong Clinic since July 2022 to focus on the development of our Datong Hospital. We completed the deregistration process of Datong Clinic in March 2023.

In complement to the independent diagnostic services of Shanghai Imaging Center, we established Shanghai General Practice Clinic in September 2021, which is located at the same building of Shanghai Imaging Center. For outpatients who intend to receive diagnostic examinations at Shanghai Imaging Center without an examination prescription, Shanghai General Practice Clinic provides patient recipient and diagnostic examination prescription services to avoid patients’ trouble of getting a prescription at another hospital.

Our Internet Hospital

We launched our internet hospital in May 2021. We offer a one-stop portal connecting cancer patients with comprehensive online and offline healthcare resources. Through our internet hospital, we enable on-demand healthcare for cancer patients, especially those who received diagnosis or treatment service at our cancer hospitals and clinics in need of post-treatment health management, recovery consultation and periodical examination. Patients can access extensive healthcare resources conveniently through our internet hospital’s WeChat official accounts and mini-programs.

Our internet hospital generates revenue from individual patients and our hospital partners. Individual users who receive healthcare services through our internet hospital typically pay the service fee per the specific service provided, through wire transfer or online payment platforms. For the healthcare services that our internet hospital provides in collaboration with our offline cancer hospitals and centers, our internet hospital split the service fee paid by the user with the offline institution based upon the agreed fee-sharing arrangements after the user receives such services.

Our Network Business

As of December 31, 2023, we operated an extensive network of 10 cooperative centers based in eight hospitals, spanning over eight cities across five provinces and administrative regions in China. These hospitals substantially consist of 3A hospitals, the highest ranked hospitals by quality and size in China based on the standards of the NHC. Our network includes nine radiotherapy centers and one diagnostic imaging center.

Each cooperative center is typically equipped with a primary unit of medical equipment, such as a linear accelerator, head gamma knife system, PET-CT scanner or MRI scanner. Each cooperative center is located on the premises of our hospital partners with the facilities of the centers provided by the hospitals. Each cooperative center typically includes a treatment area, a patient preparation and observation room, working areas for the center’s doctors and other personnel and a waiting and reception area.

Lease and Management Services Arrangements

As of December 31, 2023, we had nine cooperative centers established under lease and management services arrangements. We typically establish such centers with hospitals by entering into a lease agreement and a management agreement.

Under these lease and management services arrangements, we are responsible for purchasing the medical equipment used in these cooperative centers. We lease medical equipment to hospitals for a fixed period and establish and manage the cooperative centers in conjunction with our hospital partners. These arrangements are typically long-term in nature, ranging from five to 20 years.

We receive from the hospital a contracted percentage of each center’s revenue net of specified operating expenses. The contracted percentage typically ranges from 50% to 90% and are typically adjusted based on a declining scale over the term of the arrangement. We also have cooperative centers that operate under revenue-sharing agreements, which stipulate the percentage of the revenue and the pre-operating expenses to be shared with our hospital partners.

The specified operating expenses of cooperative centers typically include variable expenses such as the salaries and benefits of the medical and other personnel at the cooperative center, the cost of medical consumables, marketing expenses, training expenses, utility expenses and routine equipment repair and maintenance expenses. Typically, these lease and management services arrangements may be terminated upon the mutual agreement of the parties if the cooperative centers experience an operating loss for a specified period of time or fail to achieve certain operating targets.

In addition, the arrangements typically can be terminated upon the default or failure by either party to perform its respective obligations under the arrangement. In the event of termination, most arrangements call for the parties to reach a mutual agreement to resolve the remaining obligations of the parties or the division of assets that have been acquired for the cooperative centers. Under certain of these arrangements, our hospital partners must compensate us based on the average contracted percentage for an agreed upon period of time if we are not responsible for the early termination.

Our sales-type leases with hospital partners often include an option to the hospitals to purchase the underlying asset which the hospitals are reasonably certain to exercise. The terms of the financing leases usually range between five to 20 years. We have also entered into financing lease agreements in connection with several hospitals to which we lease radiotherapy, diagnostic and other equipment. We will transfer the leased properties to the lessee by the end of the lease term pursuant to the financing lease agreement. The terms of the financing leases vary, usually between three to ten years.

Medical Equipment and Software Solutions

We have established long-term relationships with certain equipment manufacturers. We have purchased medical equipment and consumables from manufacturers or distributors for re-sale to enterprise customers, primarily including hospitals. In return, we typically charge a fixed purchase price for the supplied medical equipment and consumables.

The medical equipment used in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers is highly complex and produced by a limited number of equipment manufacturers, some of which are based overseas. Our subsidiary, Shanghai Medstar, is qualified for conducting import and export business of Class II and Class III medical device. We, through Shanghai Medstar, import medical equipment overseas for our self-owned cancer hospitals and our cooperative centers, and for resale to other enterprise customers.

We further empower hospital partners with one-stop management and technical services for their better utilization of the equipment as well as cloud-based solutions which are highly compatible and can be connected to the medical equipment supplied by us. For our cloud system solutions, we either charge a fixed rate service fee for our remote medical services provided through the cloud platforms, or a fixed purchase price for the supplied cloud system solutions. See ““—Our Cloud System Solutions.”

Our Cloud System Solutions

To further expand our services to a broader patient base, we have integrated our online and offline medical resources into our cloud system solutions to offer cloud-based services, including primarily cloud-based remote diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, supply-chain management and comprehensive support services. Specifically, our Jiahe Feiyun Intelligent Radiation Therapy Cloud Service Platform enables remote radiation therapy target delineation, radiation modeling, joint consultation, plan customization and quality control, our Jiahe Yunying Remote Imaging Information Diagnostic Platform enables digitalized display, storage, transmission, and processing of diagnostic pathology and diagnostic imaging results, and our Jiahe Cloud Asset Management Platform provides one-stop supply-chain management services with improved efficiency and reduced costs. We have customized our cloud platforms to ensure the cohesion with the various brands of medical equipment and their operating systems. For example, our Jiahe Yunying Remote Imaging Information Diagnosis Platform can be deployed seamlessly in our cooperative centers to facilitate the imaging equipment supplied by various suppliers.

Management Services

From time to time, we provide management services to radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers under service-only agreements. As of December 31, 2023, we did not operate cooperative centers under service-only agreements. Unlike the cooperative centers established under lease and management services arrangements, we do not purchase and lease to the hospitals the medical equipment used at the cooperative centers established under service-only agreements. Rather, we only manage such cooperative centers in exchange for a management fee typically consisting of a contracted percentage of the revenue net of specified operating expenses of the cooperative center.

In addition, as compared to our lease and management services arrangements, the terms of the service-only agreements are typically shorter. We enter into such service-only agreements on a strategic basis to expand the coverage of our network. We expect to enter into additional strategic service-only agreements with other hospitals in the future.

Technical Services

We provide technical services to radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers under technical service agreements. As of December 31, 2023, we had such agreements at one cooperative centers among the totality of our 10 cooperative centers. Similar to management services arrangements, we do not invest in the medical equipment installed at the cooperative centers.

Instead, we provide technical support, equipment and software maintenance and tele-diagnosis services to cooperative centers in exchange for a fixed fee. The terms are usually similar to those of our lease and management services contracts. As our telemedicine business grows, we expect to enter into more of the technical services agreements with other hospitals in the future.

Service Offerings and Medical Equipment

We have equipped our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics with advanced oncology diagnosis and treatment equipment, such as a linear accelerator, head gamma knife system, PET-CT scanner or MRI scanner. Typically, each of the cooperative centers in our network is also equipped with a primary unit of such medical equipment. Set forth below is a summary of the principal treatment and diagnostic imaging systems provided at our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers.

Proton Therapy System

We had two sets of proton therapy equipment as of the date of this annual report. Specifically, in September 2020, we completed the installment of one set of proton equipment in our Guangzhou Hospital. We have commenced the clinical trial for the proton therapy equipment in the proton center of Guangzhou Hospital in November 2022. We have also procured a set of proton therapy equipment in February 2022, which is held by Concord Healthcare for future deployment based on its business needs. In addition, we expect to commence operation of the proton center of Shanghai Hospital in 2027.

Linear Accelerators and External Beam Radiotherapy

As of December 31, 2023, we owned eight linear accelerators at our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. As of the same date, the cooperative centers under service-only technical service agreements in our network owned three linear accelerators. Linear accelerators use microwave technology to deliver a high-energy x-ray beam directed at the tumor. Linear accelerators can be used to treat tumors in the brain or elsewhere in the body. A typical course of treatment given to a patient ranges from 20 to 40 daily sessions and with each session lasting for ten to 20 minutes. Linear accelerators can also be integrated with specialized computer software and advanced imaging and detection equipment to provide more effective and advanced treatments.

Such advanced treatments include three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, which uses imaging equipment to create detailed, three-dimensional representations of the tumor and surrounding organs. The radiation beam can then be shaped to match the patient’s tumor, reducing the radiation damage to healthy tissues. In general, such advanced methods increase the medical service fees charged as compared to the maximum medical service fees that can be charged for treatments.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

A gamma knife is used in radiosurgery for the treatment of tumors and other abnormal growths. A gamma knife uses multiple radiation sources, which differentiates it from traditional radiotherapy where only a single radiation source is used. The intense radiation produced by a gamma knife at a precise target point destroys tumor cells, while minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissues. The treatment procedure is minimally or not invasive and may be used as a primary or supplementary treatment option for cancer patients. The treatment requires no general anesthesia and provides an alternative treatment option to patients who may not be good candidates for surgery.

In addition, the gamma knife procedure usually involves shorter patient hospitalization, is more cost effective than surgery and avoids many of the potential risks and complications associated with other treatment options. As of December 31, 2023, we owned three head gamma knife systems at our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers.

Head gamma knife systems are primarily used for the treatment of brain tumors. The treatment is typically completed in one ten to 30 minute session rather than in multiple daily sessions spanning several weeks during which time small doses of radiation are given at each session. Head gamma knife systems can also be used to treat other conditions, such as certain types of brain lesions, trigeminal neuralgia (facial pain) and arteriovenous malformations (abnormal connection between veins and arteries).

Diagnostic Imaging

We employ a wide range of diagnostic imaging equipment at our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. Such equipment includes some of the most advanced diagnostic imaging technology available in China, including among others, PET-CT scanners, MRI scanners and PET-MR scanners. A PET-CT scanner combines a PET scanner and a CT scanner in one unit. PET-CT scanners allow the functional imaging obtained by PET scanning, which depicts the spatial distribution of metabolic or biochemical activities in the body, to be more precisely aligned or correlated with the anatomic imaging obtained by a CT scanner. MRI scanners use a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and computers to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures. MRI technology, which does not involve radiation, is typically able to provide a much greater level of contrast between the different soft tissues of the body than CT, making it especially useful in neurological or oncological imaging. A PET-MR scanner combines a PET scanner and an MRI scanner. PET-MR scanners perform whole-body examinations at both anatomical and metabolic levels at the same time, which reduces the scanning time and patients’ radiation exposure. It is widely recognized as an advanced device for early screening and diagnosis of malignant tumors and neurological diseases. As of December 31, 2023, we owned five MRI scanners, two PET-CT scanners and one PET-MR scanner at our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers.

Operation of Our Cancer Hospitals and Cooperative Centers

The following is a brief summary of the various aspects of the operations of our cancer hospitals and clinics, and the radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in our network. In general, for our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics, we maintain full operating control over all clinical and non-clinical aspects of its operation, including direct supervision over medical decisions made by doctors.

Management Structure

We manage each of the radiotherapy and diagnostic centers jointly with our hospital partners. Our hospital partners appoint a medical director to each center and are responsible for the centers’ clinical activities, the medical decisions made by doctors, and the employment of doctors in accordance with the licensing regulations. We provide clinical support to doctors, including developing treatment protocols for doctors and organizing joint diagnosis between doctors in our network and clinical research. We appoint either an operations director or a project manager to each cooperative center. Budgets for each cooperative center are established annually based on discussions between our hospital partners and us. Costs incurred at the cooperative centers usually require approval of both our hospital partners and us.

We have established operating procedures and a comprehensive quality assurance program designed to ensure that our cooperative centers operate efficiently and provide consistent and high-quality services. The operating procedures cover the use and maintenance of the medical equipment and interactions with patients, from initial patient appointment and registration to post-treatment follow-up. The operations director or project manager of each cooperative center is primarily responsible for ensuring the adherence to our operating procedures and comprehensive quality assurance program.

At the corporate level, we have established a dedicated operations department to supervise and provide support to ensure the effective operation of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. We actively monitor the operation activities and conduct scheduled annual evaluations, focusing on whether our operating personnel follow applicable procedures and perform at the expected level. We also have a risk management department that helps to ensure that we meet applicable PRC laws and regulations and compliance standards for the operation of our business. We have also adopted a code of ethics.

Staffing

We are responsible for employing and managing all personnel of our cancer hospitals and clinics, including doctors and other medical personnel. The medical professional team at our cancer hospitals and clinics comprises primarily doctors (including full-time and part-time), doctor assistants, professional nurses and caretaking staff, anesthetist, radiation physicists, pathologists, radiologists and imaging technicians. The performance of medical professionals is reviewed regularly with reference to performance targets set primarily based on their positions and their respective clinical departments. The results of such reviews will later be used in salary determinations, bonus awards and promotion appraisals

We typically staff each cooperative center with dedicated marketing and accounting personnel. Our hospital partners appoint medical directors to the cooperative centers and, except in very limited cases, they also assign all of the doctors and other medical personnel to the cooperative centers. We also help our hospital partners to recruit many of the doctors or medical personnel that provide services at the cooperative centers. In addition, we help our hospital partners determine the compensation of doctors and other medical personnel providing services in our network of centers. On a limited basis, we also enter into employment agreements with doctors to work at cooperative centers in our network after consulting with our hospital partners where such centers are based.

Medical Affairs

We have a medical affairs department to support the training, clinical education and clinical research activities of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. Prior to setting up a new hospital or cooperative center, we arrange training for the medical professionals of such new hospital or cooperative center. This provides the medical professionals of each new cancer hospital or cooperative center with the opportunity to gain hands-on clinical experience in advanced radiotherapy treatment and diagnostic imaging technologies, and to benefit from the considerable clinical knowledge of the doctors and other medical personnel at the designated training centers.

We also periodically provide follow-up training and host academic conferences and semi-annual academic seminars where doctors and other medical personnel from cancer hospitals and cooperative centers and our invited medical experts from professional or academic institutions share their knowledge and clinical experience.

We actively organize, encourage and assist doctors in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers to engage in clinical research and to publish their results. We assist in coordinating the clinical research efforts between different radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers in our network, which is critical for certain research initiatives that require a significant amount of clinical data that would be difficult for one center to collect. Our network offers doctors the opportunity to consult with each other on challenging cases and treatments. In addition, we have developed treatment protocols that are introduced to each cancer hospital and cooperative center. We also publish an internal quarterly magazine titled “Stereotactic Radiosurgery” that highlights the different clinical cases treated in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers and the latest developments in radiosurgery treatment.

Marketing

As our network of centers expands and as we began operating the first of our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics in the first half of 2017, we centralized certain of our marketing and advertising efforts. We create and distribute educational materials and brochures and engage in academic advertising and educational campaigns through television, magazines and electronic media.

We assist the cooperative centers by providing relevant content for marketing materials and help coordinate with leading experts in the medical community to attend conferences or seminars hosted by the centers. Each cooperative center must report its marketing activities to us, and we closely monitor such activities and provide approval for major marketing initiatives.

Accounting and Payment Collection

For our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics, we are responsible for patient billing and fee collection.

For our cooperative centers, our hospital partners are responsible for patient billing and fee collections and for delivering to us our contracted percentage of medical fees based on our arrangements with them. We typically hire accounting personnel at each of our centers who are in charge of keeping books and records as to the revenues and expenses of the center. We reconcile the accounting records for each cooperative center in our network with our hospital partners periodically.

After the revenue net of specified operating expenses of a cooperative center is agreed upon between us and our hospital partners, we will bill our hospital partners for our portion of the revenue determined based on our contracted percentage. Our hospital partners will then go through their internal approval process, which usually takes about 45 days from the time of billing before making payments to us. We have implemented accounting procedures at each of the cooperative centers in our network, and perform periodic reviews to help ensure that such activities are properly conducted.

Medical Equipment Maintenance and Repair

The equipment manufacturers or third-party service companies typically carry out equipment maintenance and repair. The manufacturers typically provide equipment warranties for a period of one year. After the warranty period expires, we typically enter into service agreements with the manufacturers or third-party service companies to provide periodic maintenance and repair services.

We have also established a dedicated engineering team that is responsible for the general preventive maintenance of medical equipment used in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. Our engineering team serves as an initial point of contact when problems arise and coordinates with equipment manufacturers or a third-party service company to help ensure that problems are resolved in a timely manner.

Medical Equipment Procurement

The medical equipment used in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers is highly complex and produced by a limited number of equipment manufacturers. We typically purchase medical equipment directly from domestic manufacturers and through importers, including our Shanghai Medstar which is qualified for conducting import and export business of Class II and Class III medical device, from overseas manufacturers.

In accordance with PRC laws and regulations, the procurement, installation and operation of Class A or Class B large medical equipment by hospitals in China are subject to procurement quotas or procurement planning. See “—Regulation of Our Industry—Regulations in China—Regulation of Medical Institutions—Large Medical Equipment Procurement License.”

Once non-profit hospitals have obtained large medical equipment procurement licenses, the purchase of medical equipment for such hospitals is conducted through a collective tender process. The tender process is centralized in accordance with the relevant PRC laws and regulations and is supervised by the NHC for Class A large medical equipment. For Class B large medical equipment, the relevant provincial heath administrative authorities supervise the tender process. The government or military authority will appoint an agent to manage the tender process who must be certified by the government and be qualified to conduct the tender process. The agent publicizes information relevant to the tender process, such as the type of equipment requested by the hospital and the desired commercial terms.

The manufacturers prepare the tender document according to the agent’s requirement and submit their bids to the agent on or before the specified date. The agent then consults with industry experts in evaluating each bid and the industry experts make a determination on the winning manufacturer. When the tender process is complete, the results are publicly announced and an import permit is issued for the equipment of the winning manufacturer. We then begin negotiations with such manufacturer or its importer with respect to the purchase price and the purchasing terms for the equipment based on the general commercial terms submitted by such manufacturer in the tender process.

Pricing of Medical Services

Medical service fees generated through the use of both Class A and Class B large medical equipment at non-profit hospitals are subject to the pricing guidance of the relevant provincial or regional price control authorities and healthcare administrative authorities. The pricing guidance sets forth the range of medical service fees that can be charged by non-profit medical institutions. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Certain of the medical services and products provided in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers are effectively subject to regulatory price controls due to our voluntary price-matching policies, which may reduce our profitability.”

The relevant price control authorities and healthcare administrative authorities provide notices to hospitals, which in turn provide immediate notices to us, as to any change in the pricing ceiling for medical services. The timing between when notices are provided by the relevant price control authorities and healthcare administrative authorities and the effective date of such pricing change varies in different cities and regions as well as the relevant medical services in question, but typically ranges from one to three months. For-profit hospitals or centers based in for-profit hospitals in China, such as our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics, are not subject to such pricing restrictions and are entitled to set medical service fees based on their cost structures, market demand and other factors.

Business Development

Our hospital investment team is responsible for pursuing opportunities to establish proton centers, and cancer hospitals and clinics and our business development team is responsible for pursuing opportunities to develop cooperative centers with hospitals. When examining potential opportunities, we take into account factors that include:

After each potential opportunity is identified and evaluated by the hospital investment team or the business development team, as applicable, the opportunity is presented to our investment committee for review. Our investment committee consists of several of our senior executives and members of our board of directors, and includes chairman of the committee, Dr. Jianyu Yang, chief financial officer, Mr. Boxun Zhang and five senior executives. New projects need to be approved by a super-majority approval of our investment evaluation committee and also by our chief executive officer.

Seasonality

During a fiscal year, the first quarter usually sees fewest patient visits, both inpatient and outpatient, mainly due to the Chinese New Year. The fourth quarter is usually the busiest quarter during the year, as most patients, especially patients from the rural areas, will have more free time to visit hospitals.

Since our cooperative centers are located within the government hospitals, they are also subject to seasonality of the patient traffic. Our cancer hospitals and clinics will also be affected by seasonality, although to a lesser degree, as cancer patients need to receive treatment and diagnosis immediately.

Competition

The oncology healthcare service market in China is fragmented and competition is intense. Our cancer hospitals and the cooperative centers compete primarily on a regional or local basis with government-owned and private hospitals that offer radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging and other oncology healthcare services either directly or in conjunction with third parties, such as China Renji Medical Group Ltd. In addition, since hospitals typically establish radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers located on their premises through long-term lease and management services arrangements with us or our competitors, in a given locality over a given period only a limited number of top-tier hospitals may not yet have entered into long-term arrangements with us or other companies.

Certain medical equipment that can be purchased by us or our hospital partners, such as head gamma knife systems of PET-CT scanners, further limit the number of top-tier hospitals that we or our competitors can enter into arrangements within a given period. We primarily compete with our competitors based on the range of services provided, the reputation of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers among doctors and patients in China and level of patient service and satisfaction.

In addition, we compete with those who offer other types of available treatment methods that we do not offer, such as chemotherapy, surgery, different forms of radiotherapy that we do not offer, other alternative treatment methods commercialized in recent years and certain treatments that are currently in the experimental stage. These treatments may be more effective or less costly, or both, compared to the treatment methods that our hospital and centers provide.

Intellectual Property

To protect our corporate name, we have applied to the PRC Trademark Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation (formerly known as the State Administration for Industry and Commerce) for and obtained the registration of our trademark “Medstar” in October 2009 and a total of 168 other trademarks, including “Concord Medical,” as of the date of this annual report. We also own the rights to 98 domain names that we use in connection with the operation of our business as of the same date. Many of the domain names that we own include domain names in Chinese that contain relevant key words associated with various types of cancer, radiotherapy, gamma knife systems, linear accelerators or other medical equipment used or treatments and services provided in our network. We believe that such domain names provide us with the opportunity to enhance our marketing efforts for the treatments and services provided in our network and enhance patients’ knowledge as to cancers, the benefits of radiotherapy and the various treatment options that are available.

Other than the use of our trademark and domain names, our business generally does not directly depend on any patents, licensed technology or other intellectual property. However, we cannot be certain that the equipment manufacturers from which we purchase equipment have all requisite third-party consents and licenses for the intellectual property used in the equipment they manufacture.

As a result, those equipment manufacturers may be exposed to risks associated with intellectual property infringement and misappropriation claims by third parties which, in turn, may subject us to claims that the equipment we have purchased infringes the intellectual property rights of third parties. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We may fail to protect our intellectual property rights or we may be exposed to misappropriation and infringement claims by third parties, either of which may materially adversely affect our business.”

As we begin to operate cancer hospitals and clinics under our own brand name and as our brand name gains more recognition among the general public, we will work to increase, maintain and enforce our rights in our trademark portfolio. The protection of these rights is important to our reputation and branding strategy and the continued growth of our business.

Environmental Matters

The NHC enacted the Administrative Measures on Medical Wastes Management of Medical Institutions in 2003, which sets forth the management of and criteria for the disposal of medical waste generated in the operation of medical institutions. As the supervising authority, the environmental protection authority at the county or higher levels is responsible for environmental inspections of hospitals within their jurisdictions. The NHC and the environmental protection authorities have also promulgated a series of regulations on the disposal of dangerous medical waste and the requirements of vehicles used to transport medical wastes.

Our cancer hospitals and clinics are also subject to various PRC laws, regulations and rules with respect to environmental matters, including disposal of medical waste, and discharge of wastewater and radioactive substances. We have implemented internal policies and procedures in this regard and engaged qualified third-party service providers to arrange proper disposal in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. We attach great importance to the radiation safety and protection of radiation therapy and continuously put great efforts into creating a safe, comfortable and first-class diagnosis and treatment environment for our patients.

In addition, certain medical equipment used in our network of centers, such as gamma knife systems, use radioactive sources. In accordance with the Regulation on Radioisotope and Radiation Equipment Safety and Protection promulgated by the PRC State Council in 2005, these radioactive sources should be returned to the manufacturer of such radioactive materials or sent to dedicated radioactive waste disposal units appointed by the MEP. Radioactive materials are generally obtained from, and returned to, the medical equipment manufacturers or other third parties, which then have the ultimate responsibility for their proper disposal.

However, as all centers in our network are located on the premises of our hospital partners, we do not directly oversee the disposal of certain medical waste generated in the centers. The failure of any of our hospital partners to dispose of such waste in accordance with PRC laws and regulations may have an adverse effect on the operation of centers in our network. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Most of our radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging equipment contains radioactive materials or emits radiation during operation.”

Insurance

We maintain property insurance on many of the medical equipment used in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers to protect against loss in the event of fire, earthquake, flood and a wide range of natural disasters.

For the employed medical personnel at our cancer hospitals and clinics, we have obtained professional malpractice liability insurance for such cancer hospitals and clinics. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain adequate levels of professional and general liability insurance coverage at a reasonable price.

In our cooperative centers, we do not typically maintain any professional malpractice liability insurance since we do not employ the doctors and other medical personnel providing services in such centers, except in very limited cases and the centers are located on the premises of our hospital partners. We are not directly responsible for any incidents that occur in the course of providing treatment. However, as certain agreements entered into with our hospital partners require us to share in the expenses related to medical disputes and for such expenses to be included as the expenses of the cooperative centers, while the centers will purchase the professional malpractice liability insurance themselves, we have obtained professional malpractice liability insurance for a limited number of centers.

We do not maintain product liability insurance for medical equipment in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. We also do not maintain real property insurance on our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. In addition, we do not maintain business interruption insurance or key employee insurance for our executive offices as we believe it is not the normal industry practice in China to maintain such insurance. We consider our current insurance coverage to be adequate. However, uninsured damage to any of the medical equipment in our cancer hospitals and our network of centers or inadequate insurance carried by our partner hospitals as to their respective centers could significantly disrupt our business operation and materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Legal and Administrative Proceedings

From time to time, we may become a party to various legal or administrative proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business, including labor disputes, customer complaints in relation to our refund policy, course content, and other dissatisfactions, administrative penalties in relation to our advertisements, and trademark and copyright disputes with third parties. We are currently not a party to, and we are not aware of any threat of, any legal or administrative proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, are likely to have any material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Regulation of Our Industry

This section sets forth a summary of the most significant regulations or requirements that affect our business activities in China or our shareholders’ right to receive dividends and other distributions from us.

General Regulatory Environment

China’s healthcare industry is regulated by various government agencies, including the NHC. The NHC has branch offices across China that oversee the healthcare industry at the provincial and county levels, which branch offices, together with the NHC, we refer to as the healthcare administrative authorities. The healthcare administrative authorities and other government agencies, such as the NDRC, the SFDA, the MEP and MOFCOM, have promulgated rules and regulations relating to the procurement of large medical equipment, the pricing of medical services, the operation of radiotherapy equipment, the licensing and operation of medical institutions and the licensing of medical staff.

Permits Required by Our Company

Medical Equipment Operating Enterprise Permits

The SFDA categorizes medical equipment into three classes according to the level of control by the government authorities that, in the judgment of the SFDA, is required for their safe and effective operation. Class I medical equipment are the medical equipment that require only an ordinary level of control in order to ensure their safe and effective operation. Class II medical equipment are the medical equipment that require a heightened level of control in order to ensure their safe and effective operation. Class III medical equipment are the medical equipment that are used to support or maintain human life, are implanted into the human body or otherwise pose a potential danger to the human body. Class III medical equipment require strict control in order to ensure their safe and effective operation. In order to ensure an adequate level of control in the operation of Class II and Class III medical equipment, enterprises that engage in the operation of such equipment, which include gamma knife systems, linear accelerators, MRI systems and PET-CT systems, must each obtain a medical equipment operating enterprise permit from the relevant provincial drug supervision and administration agency. As a result, our subsidiaries that engage in the operation of Class II and Class III medical equipment must each obtain a medical equipment operating enterprise permit from the relevant provincial drug supervision and administration agency pursuant to the Medical Equipment Supervision and Administration Regulation effective as of April 1, 2000. Each such permit is valid for a term of five years and, prior to expiration, must be reviewed by and an extension of its term must be obtained from the relevant authorities. Our Guangzhou Hospital, Shanghai Medstar and Aohua Technology have obtained medical equipment operating enterprise permits.

Radiation Safety Permits

As organizations that produce, sell or use radioactive materials or devices in the PRC, our subsidiaries Shanghai Medstar, Aohua Technology are required to obtain radiation safety permits from the relevant national or provincial environmental protection authorities pursuant to the Regulation on Radioisotope and Radiation Equipment Safety and Protection issued on September 14, 2005 by the PRC State Council and the Rules on Radioisotopes and Radiation Device Safety Permit issued on January 18, 2006 by the State Environmental Protection Administration (now the MEP) and amended on December 6, 2008 by the MEP. Each such radiation safety permit is valid for a term of five years and, prior to expiration, must be reviewed by and an extension of its term must be obtained from the relevant authorities. Shanghai Medstar has received a radiation safety permit. The radiation safety permit of Aohua Technology expired on October 14, 2014 and was not renewed due to the fact that Aohua Technology has stopped selling radioactive materials or devices in the PRC. In addition, our Datong Hospital, Shanghai Imaging Center, Shanghai Outpatient Department, Guangzhou Hospital and Guangzhou Outpatient Clinic have obtained the radiation safety permits.

Any organization that is subject to radiation safety permitting requirements is required to strictly observe state regulations regarding individual radiation dosage monitoring and health administration, conduct individual dosage monitoring and occupational health examinations for its staff that are directly involved in the production, sale or use of radioactive materials or devices and maintain individual dosage files and occupational health files. Any used radioactive source materials must be returned to the manufacturer or the original exporter of the equipment. If return to the manufacturer or the original exporter is not possible, the used radioactive materials must be delivered to a qualified radioactive waste consolidation and storage unit for storage.

Regulation of Medical Institutions

Distinction between For-Profit and Non-Profit Medical Institutions

Medical institutions in China can be divided into three main categories: public non-profit medical institutions, private non-profit medical institutions and for-profit medical institutions. Medical institutions falling under each category have differing registered business purposes and governing financial, tax, pricing and accounting standards than medical institutions falling under one of the other categories. Public non-profit medical institutions, including those owned by the government and military hospitals, are set up and operated to provide a public service and are eligible for financial subsidies from the government. In contrast, private non-profit medical institutions are not eligible for government financial subsidies. Both public and private nonprofit medical institutions are required to set their medical service fees within a range stipulated by the relevant governmental price control authorities, to implement financial and accounting systems in accordance with standards promulgated by government authorities and to retain any profits for the continued development of such institutions.

For-profit medical institutions are permitted to set prices for their medical services in accordance with the market, to implement financial and accounting systems in accordance with market practice for business enterprises and to distribute profits to their shareholders. Like private non-profit medical institutions, for-profit medical institutions are not entitled to government financial subsidies. The cancer hospitals and clinics that we plan to develop will be established as for-profit medical institutions.

Medical Institution Practicing License

Pursuant to the Regulation on Medical Institution issued on February 26, 1994 and amended on February 6, 2016 by the PRC State Council, any organization or individual that intends to establish a medical institution must obtain a medical institution practicing license from the relevant healthcare administrative authorities. In determining whether to approve any application, the relevant healthcare administrative authorities are to consider whether the proposed medical institution comports with the population, medical resources, medical needs and geographic distribution of existing medical institutions in the regions for which such authorities are responsible as well as whether the proposed medical institution meets the basic medical standards set by the NHC. Each of the cancer hospitals and clinics that we intend to establish or currently operate in China would need to obtain such a medical institution practicing license. As of the date of this annual report, each of our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics in operation has obtained a medical institution practicing license.

Large Medical Equipment Procurement License

Pursuant to the Administrative Measures on the Procurement and Use of Large Medical Equipment (For Trial Implementation) jointly promulgated by the NHC and National Medical Products Administration on May 22, 2018 and came into effect on the same day, the PRC government regulates large medical equipment through the classified and hierarchical allocation plan and through the issuance of the large medical equipment procurement license according to the Catalog, which divides large medical equipment into Class A and Class B.

For large medical equipment classified as Class A large medical equipment, which includes proton therapy systems, quotas are set by the NHC and the NDRC and large medical equipment procurement licenses are issued by the NHC. For large medical equipment classified as Class B large medical equipment, which includes PET-MR, gamma knife system, PET-CT scanners and linear accelerators, procurement planning and approval is conducted by the relevant provincial healthcare administrative authorities conduct procurement planning and approval.

According to “14th Five-Year Plan ” issued by NHC on July 21, 2023, the national master plan configures a maximum of 41 newly added proton therapy treatment systems between 2021 and 2025. The allocation will depend on the actual situation of regional function orientation, radiation capacity of medical services and the service level of diagnosis and treatment of medical institutions. In addition, “14th Five-Year Plan ” stipulates provincial the procurement planning and quotas for Class B large medical equipment procurement licenses. On February 8, 2024, the NHC promulgated the Notice of Adjustment of the 14th Five-Year Plan Large-scale Medical Equipment Configuration Plan, which stipulates that in order to meet the needs of people for diversified diagnosis and treatment services and support the healthy and orderly development of socially-run medical care, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, eight new sets of heavy ion and proton radiotherapy systems were added according to the configuration plan nationwide, which are specially used for socially-run medical care institutions.

In accordance with “14th Five-Year Plan ,” the total number of PET-CT large medical equipment procurement licenses issued in China cannot exceed 860 from the date of the plan through the end of 2025, and the total number of large medical equipment procurement licenses issued for gamma knife systems cannot exceed 95 nationwide. There is currently no guidance as to the total number of large medical equipment procurement licenses that may be issued for other types of medical equipment that the cooperative centers in our network operate.

With respect to any Class A or Class B large medical equipment purchased before the Rules on Procurement and Use of Large Medical Equipment came into effect on March 1, 2005, the medical institution that houses such equipment must apply to the NHC or the relevant provincial healthcare administrative authorities for a large medical equipment procurement license for such equipment. If such medical institution is unable to obtain a procurement license as a result of a lack of procurement quotas for such medical equipment allocated to the region in which the medical institution is located, an interim procurement permit for large medical equipment is required to be obtained instead. Moreover, any medical institution holding an interim permit must pay taxes on income derived from the use of the equipment covered by the interim permit and, upon the expiration of the useful life of such medical equipment, the medical institution must dispose of such equipment and is not permitted to replace it with a newer model.

Radiotherapy Permit

Medical institutions that engage in radiotherapy are governed by the Regulatory Rules on Radiotherapy issued on January 24, 2006 by the NHC and are required to obtain a radiotherapy permit from the relevant healthcare administrative authorities. These rules require such medical institutions to possess qualifications sufficient for radiotherapy work, which include having adequate facilities for housing radiotherapy equipment as well as having qualified, properly trained personnel. Medical institutions that operate medical equipment containing radioactive materials are also required to obtain a radiation safety permit. See “—Permits Required by Our Company—Radiation Safety Permits.”

Radiation Worker Permit

Medical institutions that engage in the operation of medical equipment that contains radioactive materials or emits radiation during operation are required to obtain a radiation worker permit from the competent healthcare administrative authorities for each medical technician who operates such equipment.

Regulation of Military Hospitals

The procurement, installation and operation of large medical equipment by medical institutions of the PLA is regulated by the healthcare administrative authority of the general logistics department of the PLA with reference to the Rules on Procurement and Use of Large Medical Equipment. The general logistic department of the PLA issues a large equipment application permit to those military hospitals approved for procurement. The procurement planning records and annual reviews are provided to the NHC for its records.

Restrictions on Cooperation Agreements

Since the effectiveness in September 2000 of the Implementation Opinions on the Management by Classification of Urban Medical Institutions by the NHC, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Ministry of Finance and the NDRC, non-profit medical institutions other than military hospitals have been prohibited from entering into new cooperation agreements or continuing to operate under existing cooperation agreements with third parties pursuant to which the parties jointly invest in or cooperate to set up for-profit centers or units that are not independent legal entities. However, according to the Opinions on Certain Issues Regarding Management by Classification of Urban Medical Institutions issued on July 20, 2001 by the NHC, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Ministry of Finance and the NDRC, a non-profit medical institution that lacks sufficient funds to purchase medical equipment outright may enter into a leasing agreement pursuant to which the medical institution leases medical equipment at market rates. In response to this regulatory change, we have replaced the majority of our cooperation agreements with non-profit hospitals with leasing and management agreements.

Regulation of Proton Treatment Centers

Pursuant to the Administrative Measures on Clinical Application of Medical Technology, effective as of November 1, 2018, medical institutions must apply to the NHC for approval before utilizing certain medical technologies. On March 30, 2022, the NHC issued the National Standard for Clinical Application Management of Restricted Technologies, which provide the guidelines for government authorities to review and approve applications of medical institutions for clinical use of proton and heavy ion radiotherapy technologies. Furthermore, these rules and their subsequent amendments set out the minimum requirements for medical institutions and their medical staff to provide proton and heavy ion radiotherapy. Such requirements include, among other things, that medical institutions that are eligible for providing proton and heavy ion radiotherapy must, among other things, meet the following requirements:

These rules will apply to any proton or heavy ion radiotherapy treatment centers that we or our hospital partners may build and operate in the future, including our Guangzhou Hospital and Shanghai Hospital.

Registration of Doctors

Doctors in China must obtain a doctor practitioner or assistant doctor practitioner license in accordance with the Law on Medical Practitioners, effective as of May 1, 1999, and the Interim Measures for Registration of Medical Practitioners, effective as of July 16, 1999. Currently, each doctor is required to practice in the medical institution specified in such doctor’s registration. If a doctor intends to change his/her practice location, including but not limited to moving to or from a non-profit medical institution or to or from a for-profit medical institution, practice classification, practice scope or other registered matters, such doctor is required to apply for such change with the competent healthcare administrative authorities. However, with the approval of the medical institution with which a doctor is affiliated, a doctor may, within his/her scope of practice, undertake outside consultations, including diagnostic and treatment activities, for patients of another medical institution.

The Notice Concerning the Doctors to Practice in Different Locations, which is issued by the NHC on September 11, 2009, sets forth the basic principles for doctors to practice in different medical institutions. Pursuant to the notice doctors are allowed to be employed by more than two medical institutions subject to the approval of the NHC. On December 28, 2012, the Management Measures Concerning the Doctors to Practice in Different Locations issued by Guangdong provincial branches of the NHC became effective, which provides that doctors, who meet the requirements set forth therein, may apply to practice in different medical institutions. The amended measures are currently effective for a period of three years.

Pricing of Medical Services

Pursuant to the Opinion Concerning the Reform of Medical Service Pricing Management issued by the NDRC and the NHC on July 20, 2000, medical services fees generated through the use of both Class A and Class B large medical equipment at nonprofit medical institutions are subject to the pricing guidelines of the relevant provincial or regional price control authorities and healthcare administrative authorities. The pricing guidance sets forth the range of medical services fees that can be charged by non-profit medical institutions. For-profit medical institutions are not subject to such pricing restrictions and are entitled to set medical services fees based on their cost structures, market demand and other factors. According to the Implementation Plan for the Recent Priorities of the Health Care System Reform (2009-2011), which was issued by the PRC State Council on March 18, 2009, the Chinese government is aiming to reduce the examination fees for large medical equipment. In addition, according to the Opinion on the Reform of Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Service Pricing Structures issued on November 9, 2009 by the NDRC, the NHC and the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (the “MHRSS”), the Chinese government is also aiming to reduce treatment fees for large medical equipment. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Certain of the medical services and products provided in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers are effectively subject to regulatory price controls due to our voluntary price-matching policies, which may reduce our profitability.”

Medical Insurance Coverage

China has a complex medical insurance system that is currently undergoing reform. Typically, those covered by medical insurance must pay for medical services out of their own pocket at the time services are rendered and must then seek reimbursement from the relevant insurer. For public servants and others covered by the 1989 Administrative Measure on State Provision of Healthcare and the 1997 Circular on Reimbursement Coverage of Large Medical Equipment under State Provision of Healthcare, the PRC government currently either fully or partially reimburses medical expenses for certain approved cancer diagnosis and radiotherapy treatment services, including treatments utilizing linear accelerators and diagnostic imaging services utilizing CT and MRI scanners. However, gamma knife treatments and PET scans are currently not eligible for reimbursement under this plan.

Urban residents in China that are not covered by the 1989 Administrative Measure on State Provision of Healthcare and the 1997 Circular on Reimbursement Coverage of Large Medical Equipment under State Provision of Healthcare are covered by one of two nationwide public medical insurance schemes, which are the Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance Program and the Urban Residents Basic Medical Insurance Program. Rural residents in China are covered under a new Rural Cooperative Medical Program launched in 2003. The Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance Program, which covers employed urban residents, partially reimburses urban workers for treatments utilizing linear accelerators and gamma knife systems and diagnostic imaging services utilizing CT and MRI scanners, with reimbursement levels varying from province to province. However, diagnostic imaging services utilizing PET and PET-CT scans are currently not reimbursable under the Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance Program. For urban non-workers who are covered by the Urban Residents Basic Medical Insurance Program and rural residents who are covered by the new Rural Cooperative Medical Program, the types of cancer diagnosis and radiotherapy treatments that are covered are generally set with reference to the policy for urban employees in the same region of the country. However, the reimbursement levels for covered medical expenses for urban non-workers and rural residents, which vary widely from region to region and treatment to treatment, are generally lower than those for urban employees in the same region. Currently no reimbursement is available for proton therapy treatments.

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Regulations on Environmental Protection Related to Medical Institutions

Environmental Protection Law of PRC and Environmental Impact Assessment Law of the People’s Republic of China

Pursuant to the Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China promulgated by the SCNPC on December 26, 1989 and became effective on the same day, amended on April 24, 2014 and became effective on January 1, 2015, the waste discharge licensing system has been implemented in the PRC and entities that discharge medical sewage to water bodies directly or indirectly shall obtain a waste discharge license. Furthermore, installations for the prevention and control of pollution at a construction project must be designed, built and commissioned together with the principal part of the project.

Pursuant to the Environmental Impact Assessment Law of the People’s Republic of China promulgated by the SCNPC on October 28, 2002, became effective on September 1, 2003 and amended on July 2, 2016 and December 29, 2018, the State implements administration by classification on the environmental impact of construction projects according to the level of impact on the environment. The construction entity shall prepare an environmental impact report, or an environmental impact form or complete an environmental impact registration form (the “Environmental Impact Assessment Documents”) for reporting and filing purpose. If the Environmental Impact Assessment Documents of a construction project have not been reviewed by the approving authority in accordance with the law or have not been granted approval after the review, the construction entity is prohibited from commencing construction works.

Regulations on the Administration of Medical Waste and the Measures of the Administration of Medical Waste of Medical Institution

According to the Regulations on the Administration of Medical Waste, which was promulgated by the State Council on June 16, 2003 and amended on January8, 2011, and the Measures of the Administration of Medical Waste of Medical Institution, which was promulgated by the MOH on October 15, 2003 and came into effect on the same day, medical or health institution shall register medical wastes, manage medical wastes under classification and undertake management of duplicate forms for transfer of hazardous waste in accordance with the Catalogue of Classified Medical Wastes, and deliver medical wastes to an entity for centralized disposal of medical wastes and licensed by a relevant environment protection administrative department for dispose. Sewage generated by any health institution and excretion of its patients or suspected patients of infectious diseases shall be sterilized in strict accordance with the relevant provisions, and shall not be discharged into sewage disposal systems until the discharging standards are met.

The Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Radioactive Pollution and Safety Management of Radioactive Waste

The Law of the People’s Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Radioactive Pollution stipulates that, an entity generating radioactive waste liquid must, in accordance with the requirements of the national standards on the prevention and control of radioactive pollution, dispose or store the radioactive waste liquid which shall not be discharged to the environment. An entity generating radioactive solid wastes shall, in accordance with the provisions of the competent administrative department of environmental protection under the State Council, deliver the radioactive solid wastes it generates to the entity disposing the radioactive solid wastes for disposition after having them treated, and shall assume the disposition expense.

In accordance with the Regulations on the Safety Management of Radioactive Waste which came into effect on March 1, 2012, China adopts the classified management of radioactive waste. According to the characteristics and the potential hazardous exposure of the human health and environment, radioactive wastes are divided into high-level radioactive waste, medium-level radioactive waste and low-level radioactive waste. Entities of utilization of nuclear technology shall conduct relevant treatment procedures of the liquid radioactive waste (which was generated but couldn’t be discharged after purification), and then transformed to solid radioactive waste. Entities of utilization of nuclear technology shall deliver disused radioactive sources and other solid radioactive wastes generated by them to any qualified entity for centralized storage, or to a solid radioactive waste disposing entity possessing the applicable licenses for disposal.

The Administrative Measures on Licensing of Urban Drainage

The Administrative Measures on Licensing of Urban Drainage, which was promulgated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development on January 22, 2015 and came into effect on March 1, 2015, provides that enterprises, institutions and individual industrial and commercial households engaging in industry, construction, catering industry, medical industry and discharging sewage into the urban drainage network must apply for and obtain a License for Urban Drainage.

Foreign Exchange Control and Administration

Pursuant to the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulation promulgated on January 29, 1996, as amended on January 14, 1997 and August 5, 2008, and various regulations issued by the SAFE and other relevant PRC government authorities, the Renminbi is freely convertible only with respect to current account items, such as trade-related receipts and payments, interest and dividends. Capital account items, such as direct equity investments, loans and repatriations of investments, require the prior approval of the SAFE or its local branches for conversion of Renminbi into foreign currency, such as U.S. dollars, and remittance of the foreign currency outside the PRC. Payments for transactions that take place within the PRC must be made in Renminbi. Foreign exchange transactions under the capital account are still subject to limitations and require approvals from, or registration with, the SAFE and other relevant PRC governmental authorities, or their competent local branches.

On August 29, 2008, the SAFE promulgated SAFE Circular No. 142, a notice regulating the conversion by a foreign-invested company of foreign currency into Renminbi by restricting how converted Renminbi may be used. This notice requires that Renminbi converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company only be used for purposes within the business scope approved by the applicable governmental authority and may not be used for equity investments within the PRC unless specifically provided for otherwise in its business scope. In addition, the SAFE strengthened its oversight of the flow and use of Renminbi funds converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company. The use of such Renminbi may not be changed without SAFE’s approval and may not be used to repay Renminbi loans if the proceeds of such loans have not yet been used for purposes within the company’s approved business scope. Violations of SAFE Circular No. 142 may result in severe penalties, including substantial fines as set forth in the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulation. Furthermore, SAFE promulgated a circular on November 19, 2010 (generally known as Circular No. 59), which tightens the examination on the authenticity of settlement of net proceeds from an offering and requires that the settlement of net proceeds shall be in accordance with the description in its prospectus. On August 4, 2014, SAFE issued SAFE Circular 36 that launched the pilot reform of administration regarding conversion of foreign currency registered capitals of foreign-invested enterprises in 16 pilot areas. According to SAFE Circular 36, an ordinary foreign-invested enterprise in the pilot areas is permitted to use Renminbi converted from its foreign-currency registered capital to make equity investments in the PRC, subject to certain registration and settlement procedure as set forth in SAFE Circular 36.

On July 4, 2014, SAFE promulgated the Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control of Domestic Residents’ Overseas Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Offshore Special Purpose Vehicles (“SAFE Circular No. 37”), which replaced the former Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (“SAFE Circular No. 75”) promulgated by SAFE on October 21, 2005.

SAFE Circular No. 37 requires PRC residents to register with local branches of SAFE in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity, for the purpose of overseas investment and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests, which is referred to in SAFE Circular No. 37 as a “special purpose vehicle.” SAFE Circular No. 37 further requires amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC residents share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material events. In the event that a PRC resident holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to complete the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiaries. Furthermore, failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls.

Currently, several of our beneficial owners who are residents in the PRC and are or may be subject to the requirements of making registration with the competent local branch of SAFE with respect to their investments in our company as required by SAFE Circular No. 75 and will update their registration filings with SAFE under SAFE Circular No. 37 when there are any changes that should be registered under SAFE Circular No. 37. However, we cannot assure you that all of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents will at all times comply with, or in the future make or obtain any applicable registrations or approvals required by, SAFE Circular No. 37 or other related regulations. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC foreign exchange rules may limit our ability to acquire PRC companies and adversely affect the implementation of our strategy, business and prospects.”

Dividend Distributions

Pursuant to the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulation promulgated in 1996, as amended in 1997 and 2008, and various regulations issued by the SAFE and other relevant PRC government authorities, the PRC government imposes restrictions on the convertibility of Renminbi into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, on the remittance of currency out of China. Our PRC subsidiaries are regulated under the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC and Regulations for the Implementation of the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC which became effective as of January 1, 2020, and the newly revised PRC Company Law, which became effective as of October 26, 2018. Pursuant to these regulations, each of our PRC subsidiaries must allocate at least 10.0% of its after-tax profits to a statutory common reserve fund. When the accumulated amount of the statutory common reserve fund exceeds 50.0% of the registered capital of such subsidiary, no further allocation is required. Funds allocated to a statutory common reserve fund may not be distributed to equity owners as cash dividends. Furthermore, each of our PRC subsidiaries may allocate a portion of its after-tax profits, as determined by such subsidiary’s ultimate decision-making body, to its staff welfare and bonus funds, which allocated portion may not be distributed as cash dividends.

Regulations Relating to Employee Share Options

Pursuant to the Administration Measure for Individual Foreign Exchange issued in December 2006 and the Implementation Rules of Administration Measure for Individual Foreign Exchange, issued in January 2007 and updated in May 2016 by the SAFE, all foreign exchange matters relating to employee stock award plans or stock option plans for PRC residents may only be transacted upon the approval of the SAFE or its authorized branch. On February 15, 2012, the SAFE promulgated the Notice on Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Employee Stock Award Plan or Stock Option Plan of Overseas-Listed Company (the “Stock Option Rule”). Under the Stock Option Rule, PRC citizens who participate in employee stock award and share option plans of an overseas publicly-listed company must register with the SAFE and complete certain related procedures. These procedures must be conducted by a PRC agent designated by the subsidiary of such overseas publicly-listed company with which the PRC citizens affiliate. The PRC agent may be a subsidiary of such overseas publicly-listed company, any such PRC subsidiary’s trade union having legal person status, a trust and investment company or other financial institution qualified to act as a custodian of assets. Such participant’s foreign exchange income received from the sale of shares or dividends distributed by the overseas publicly-listed company must first be remitted into a collective foreign exchange account opened and managed by the PRC agent prior to any distribution of such income to such participants in a foreign currency or in Renminbi.

Pursuant to Circular No. 106, employee stock award plans and employee share option plans of special purpose vehicles must be filed with the SAFE while applying for the registration for the establishment of the special purpose vehicles. After employees exercise their options, they must apply for an amendment to the registration for the special purpose vehicle with the SAFE. We intend to comply with these regulations and to ask our PRC optionees to comply with these regulations. In accordance with the Circular of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Issues concerning the Administration of Foreign Exchange Used for Domestic Individuals’ Participation in Equity Incentive Plans of Companies Listed Overseas issued by SAFE on February 15, 2012, individuals who participate in equity incentive plans of the same overseas listed company shall, through the domestic company to which the said company is affiliated, collectively entrust a domestic agency to handle issues like foreign exchange registration, account establishment, funds transfer and remittance, and entrust an overseas institution to handle issues like exercise of options, purchase and sale of corresponding stocks or equity, and transfer of corresponding funds. It is currently unclear how these rules will be interpreted and implemented. If the applicable authorities determine that we or our PRC optionees have failed to comply with these regulations, we or our PRC optionees may be subject to fines and legal sanctions.

Provisions Regarding Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors and Overseas Listings

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including MOFCOM, the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Administration for Taxation, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the CSRC and the SAFE, jointly issued the M&A Rule, which became effective on September 8, 2006 and subsequently amended on June 22, 2009. The M&A Rule, among other things, includes provisions that require any offshore special purpose vehicle, formed for the purpose of an overseas listing of equity interests in a PRC company that is controlled directly or indirectly by one or more PRC companies or individuals, to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange. The application of the M&A Rule is currently unclear. However, our PRC counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law, has advised us that based on its understanding of the current PRC laws, rules and regulations and the M&A Rule, the M&A Rule does not require that we obtain prior CSRC approval for the listing and trading of our ADSs on the NYSE, because our acquisition of the equity interests in our PRC subsidiaries is not subject to the M&A Rule due to the fact that Shanghai Medstar and Aohua Technology were already foreign-invested enterprises before September 8, 2006, the effective date of the M&A Rule. Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys At Law has further advised us that their opinions summarized above are subject to the timing and content of any new laws, rules and regulations or clear implementations and interpretations from the CSRC in any form relating to the M&A Rule.

On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Overseas Listing Trial Measures and the related guidelines, which became effective on March 31, 2023. The Overseas Listing Trial Measures has comprehensively improved and reformed the existing regulatory regime for overseas offering and listing of securities by PRC domestic companies and regulated both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing of securities by PRC domestic companies by adopting a filing-based regulatory regime. According to the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, PRC domestic companies that seek to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either in direct or indirect means, are required to fulfill the filing procedure with the CSRC and report relevant information. The CSRC provided further notice related to the Overseas Listing Trial Measures that companies that had already been listed on overseas stock exchanges prior to March 31, 2023 are not required to make immediate filings for its listing, but are required to make filings for subsequent offerings in accordance with the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, i.e., to file with the CSRC within three business days after the closing of such subsequent offerings.

Regulation of Loans between a Foreign Company and its Chinese Subsidiary

A loan made by foreign investors as shareholders in a foreign-invested enterprise is considered to be foreign debt in China and is subject to several Chinese laws and regulations, including the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulation of 1996 and its amendments of 1997 and 2008, the Interim Measures on Foreign Debts Administration of 2003 (the “Interim Measures”), the Statistical Monitoring of Foreign Debts Tentative Provisions of 1987 and its implementing rules of 1998, the Administration Provisions on the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange of 1996, and the Notice of the SAFE on Issues Related to Perfection of Foreign Debts Administration, dated October 21, 2005.

Under these rules and regulations, a shareholder loan in the form of foreign debt made to a Chinese entity does not require the prior approval of the SAFE. However, such foreign debt must be registered with and recorded by the SAFE or its local branch in accordance with the relevant PRC laws and regulations. Our PRC subsidiaries can legally borrow foreign exchange loans up to their respective borrowing limits, which is defined as the difference between the amount of their respective “total investment” and “registered capital” as approved by the MOFCOM, or its local counterparts. Interest payments, if any, on the loans are subject to a 10% withholding tax unless any such foreign shareholder’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for a different withholding arrangement. Pursuant to Article 18 of the Interim Measures, if the amount of foreign exchange debt of our PRC subsidiaries exceeds their respective borrowing limits, we are required to apply to the relevant Chinese authorities to increase the total investment amount and registered capital to allow the excess foreign exchange debt to be registered with the SAFE.

Regulations Relating to Internet Information Security and Privacy Protection

Internet information in China is regulated from a national security standpoint. On June 10, 2021, the SCNPC promulgated the PRC Data Security Law, which took effect on September 1, 2021. The PRC Data Security Law, among other things, requires data collection to be conducted in a legitimate and proper manner, and stipulates that, for the purpose of data security, data processing activities must be conducted based on data classification and hierarchical protection system. Furthermore, along with the promulgation of the Opinions on Strictly Combating Illegal Securities Activities, overseas-listed China-based companies are experiencing a heightened scrutiny over their compliance with laws and regulations regarding data security, cross-border data flow and management of confidential information from PRC regulatory authorities.

On August 20, 2021, the SCNPC issued the Personal Information Protection Law, which has been effective from November 1, 2021 and reiterates the circumstances under which a personal information processor could process personal information and the requirements for such circumstances. The Personal Information Protection Law clarifies the scope of application, the definition of personal information and sensitive personal information, the legal basis of personal information processing and the basic requirements of notice and consent.

On November 14, 2021, the CAC publicly solicited opinions on the Draft Data Security Regulations. According to the Draft Data Security Regulations, data processors shall, in accordance with relevant state provisions, apply for cyber security review when carrying out the following activities: (1) the merger, reorganization or separation of internet platform operators that have acquired a large number of data resources related to national security, economic development or public interests, which affects or may affect national security, (2) data processors that handle the personal information of more than one million people intends to be listed abroad, (3) the data processor intends to be listed in Hong Kong, which affects or may affect national security, and (4) other data processing activities that affect or may affect national security. However, the Draft Data Security Regulations provides no further explanation or interpretation for “affects or may affect national security.” The PRC government authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation of “affects or may affect national security.”

On December 28, 2021, the CAC and 12 other government authorities published an amendment of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review 2022, which took effect on February 15, 2022. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review 2022 provides that certain operators of critical information infrastructure purchasing network products and services or network platform operators carrying out data processing activities, which affect or may affect national security, must apply with the Cybersecurity Review Office for a cybersecurity review. However, the scope of operators of “critical information infrastructure” and the interpretation for “affect or may affect national security” under the current regulatory regime remain unclear and are subject to the decisions of competent PRC regulatory authorities.

On July 7, 2022, the CAC promulgated the Security Assessment Measures to regulate outbound data transfer activities, protect the rights and interests of personal information, safeguard national security and social public interests, and promote the cross-border security and free flow of data. Furthermore, the Security Assessment Measures provide that the security assessment for outbound data transfers shall follow principles of the combination of pre-assessment and continuous supervision and the combination of risk self-assessment and security assessment, so as to prevent the security risks arising from outbound data transfers, and ensure the orderly and free flow of data according to the law. For outbound data transfers that have been carried out prior to the implementation of the Security Assessment Measures, if not in compliance with the Security Assessment Measures, rectification shall be completed within six months from the implementation of the Security Assessment Measures.

Taxation

For a discussion of applicable PRC tax regulations, see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects.”

Regulation on Employment

On June 29, 2007, the National People’s Congress promulgated the Labor Contract Law of PRC (the “Labor Law”), which became effective as of January 1, 2008 and subsequently amended on December 28, 2012. On September 18, 2008, the PRC State Council issued the PRC Labor Contract Law Implementation Rules, which became effective as of the date of issuance. The Labor Law and its implementation rules are intended to give employees long-term job security by, among other things, requiring employers to enter into written contracts with their employees and restricting the use of temporary workers. The Labor Law and its implementation rules impose greater liabilities on employers, require certain terminations to be based upon seniority rather than merit and significantly affect the cost of an employer’s decision to reduce its workforce. Employment contracts lawfully entered into prior to the implementation of the Labor Law and continuing after the date of its implementation remain legally binding and the parties to such contracts are required to continue to perform their respective obligations thereunder. However, employment relationships established prior to the implementation of the Labor Law without a written employment agreement were required to be memorialized by a written employment agreement that satisfies the requirements of the Labor Law within one month after it became effective on January 1, 2008.

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Through our network business, we empower a widespread network of enterprise customers, especially our hospital partners, with integrated oncology-related solutions, including primarily the supply, management and technical support for medical equipment and software solutions. As of December 31, 2023, we provided equipment leasing and comprehensive support services for 10 cooperative centers based in eight hospitals, spanning over eight cities across five provinces and administrative regions in China. We have established most of the cooperative centers in our network through long-term lease and management services arrangements with hospitals typically ranging from five to 20 years. Under these arrangements, we receive a contracted percentage of each center’s revenue. Such contracted percentages typically range from 50% to 90% and are adjusted based on a declining scale over the term of the arrangement. Each cooperative center is located on the premises of our hospital partners and is typically equipped with a primary unit of advanced radiotherapy or diagnostic imaging equipment, such as a linear accelerator, head gamma knife system, PET-CT scanner or MRI scanner. We typically purchase the medical equipment used in our network of centers and lease such equipment to our hospital partners.

Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations

Our financial performance and results of operations are generally affected by the number of cancer patients in China and in the regions in which we have operations. According to the latest statistics released by the Global Cancer Observatory (GCO) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2023, the global occurrence of cancer has continued to rise, with estimated new cases of 19.3 million and cancer-caused deaths of 10.0 million in 2020. China, in particular, had approximately 4.6 million new cancer cases and 3.0 million cancer-caused deaths reported in the same year. The latest “Cancer incidence and mortality in China 2022” published by the Chinese National Cancer Institute highlights a concerning upward trajectory in cancer occurrence and mortality rates over the past decade. In 2022 alone, it was estimated that there were approximately 4.8 million new cancer cases and 2.6 million cancer-caused deaths in China. These figures exceed those reported in previous years, indicating the the urgent need for effective cancer prevention and control strategies. Major factors that contribute to the increase of cancer cases include demographic reasons, such as aging population and obesity prevalence, as well as other reasons, such as environmental pollution, tobacco use and inadequate access to healthcare services.

Based on a survey conducted by the NHC, the increase in cancer cases is primarily attributable to demographic changes and urbanization. With the continued increase in disposable income, government healthcare spending and medical insurance coverage, there has been a considerable increase in demand for cancer diagnosis and treatments and we have been able to grow our business significantly by providing high quality radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging services in China to address these needs. In addition, public hospitals generally lack the financial resources to purchase, or the expertise to operate, radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers. Such factors combined have contributed favorably to the growth of our business.

We believe that the oncology healthcare service market will remain favorable in the future. However, changes in the market in China, whether due to changes in government policy or any decrease in the number of cancer cases treated by radiotherapy in China, may adversely affect our results of operations. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation of Our Industry.”

In addition to general industry and regulatory factors, our financial performance and results of operations are affected by company-specific factors. We believe that the most significant of these factors are:

Our Ability to Expand Our Cancer Hospitals and Cooperative Centers

As of December 31, 2023, we had 10 cooperative centers based in eight hospitals, spanning over eight cities across five provinces and administrative regions in China. Our ability to expand, and to optimize the number of, our network of centers is one of the most important factors affecting our results of operation and financial condition. Historically, our business growth has been primarily driven by developing new cooperative centers by entering into new arrangements with hospital partners or acquisitions from third parties. In addition to our cooperative centers, we are establishing cancer hospitals and clinics in China. As of December 31, 2023, we had six self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics in operation in China, including two cancer hospitals, three cancer diagnosis and treatment clinics and one imaging diagnosis center. In addition, we also operate an internet hospital. We were also in the process of constructing Shanghai Hospital as of December 31, 2023. The development of these hospitals is an important step of our broader strategy and is expected to become the key driver of our future growth.

Each additional cancer hospitals and cooperative centers that we develop increases the number of patient visits in our network and contributes to our revenue growth. However, our new cancer hospitals and clinics and new cooperative centers developed by entering into new arrangements with hospital partners generally involve a ramp-up period during which time the operating efficiency of such hospitals and centers may be lower than that of our established ones, which may negatively affect our profitability. We also incur substantial expenses before the commencement of operations of new hospitals and centers, including labor costs, construction expenditures, renovation costs, rental expenses and equipment costs, which could have a short-term negative impact on our liquidity and profitability. In addition, if we establish additional cancer hospitals and cooperative centers through acquisition, our acquired intangible assets will increase and the resulting amortization expenses may, to a significant extent, offset the benefit of the increase in revenues generated from cancer hospitals and cooperative centers established through acquisitions. While expanding our network of hospitals and centers will continue to increase our revenue base, our ability to operate these additional hospitals and centers in a cost-efficient manner determines whether and how quickly we can recover our investment, and therefore, our long-term profitability.

Furthermore, other factors such as the financial resources and know-how of hospitals in China to purchase medical equipment directly and to operate radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers independently, and the number of units of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging equipment that are allocated by the PRC government for purchase, will also affect our ability to expand our network. Our ability to expand, and to optimize the number of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers will also depend on a number of factors, such as:

We closed 11 cooperative centers, eight cooperative centers and three cooperative centers in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively, due to expiration of the arrangements with certain of these cooperative centers as well as our focus on developing our hospital business going forward.

The Number of Patient Visits in Our Cancer Hospitals and Cooperative Centers

Increasing the number of patient visits in our existing cancer hospitals and cooperative centers is important for the growth of our business. The number of patient visits is primarily driven by reputation of the doctors, our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. Doctors decide whether to refer patients to our hospitals and centers in our network based on factors such as reputation, location and the expertise of the doctors who provide services. In addition, the referring doctors’ awareness of the efficacy and benefits of radiotherapy treatments and their preference as to other cancer treatment methods contribute to their willingness to refer cases for diagnosis and treatment to our hospitals and the centers in our network.

Accordingly, we have focused our marketing efforts on increasing referring doctors’ awareness of the efficacy of radiotherapy treatments and the advantages of the treatment options available to their patients in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers. There is also typically a ramp-up period for newly established hospitals and centers during which acceptance by doctors and patients of such new hospitals and centers gradually pick up and the number of patient visits increase.

The numbers of our treatment and diagnostic patient visits in our cooperative centers decreased from 7,597 and 53,305 in 2021, respectively, to 4,523 and 20,980 in 2022, respectively, and further to 2,861 and 19,437 in 2023, respectively, primarily due to the reduction of our cooperative centers and the suspension of operation of cooperative centers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the number of inpatient and outpatient visits in our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics, including Datong Hospital, Datong Clinic (which ceased operation since July 2022), Shanghai Outpatient Department, Shanghai Imaging Center, Shanghai General Practice Clinic, Guangzhou Outpatient Department, Guangzhou Hospital and our internet hospital, increased from 778 and 50,622 in 2021, respectively, to 2,999 and 69,542 in 2022, respectively, and further to 3,783 and 82,269 in 2023, respectively.

The Operational Arrangements with Our Hospital Partners

A portion of our total net revenues is derived from our lease and management services arrangements with our hospital partners which typically range from five to 20 years and under which we receive a contracted percentage of each cooperative center’s revenue. Such contracted percentage typically range from 50% to 90% and are typically adjusted based on a declining scale over the term of the arrangement but in certain circumstances, are fixed for the duration of the arrangement.

In the event that specified operating expenses exceed the revenues of the cooperative center, we would collect no revenues from such center. As a result, our ability to negotiate a higher contracted percentage and our ability to contain operating expenses will significantly affect our revenues and profitability.

In negotiations with hospitals as to our contracted percentage, we consider factors such as:

Our ability to achieve a higher contracted percentage also depends on our bargaining power relative to our potential hospital partners and on the purchase price of the medical equipment to be used at the new cooperative centers. We believe that our contracted percentage of cooperative centers’ revenue for new arrangements will generally decline over time as the purchase prices of the primary medical equipment used in our network of centers decrease due to technological advancement and increased competition.

We also provide management services to a small number of cooperative centers through service-only agreements from time to time where we receive a management fee equal to a contracted percentage of each cooperative center’s revenue net of specified operating expenses. Such service-only agreements typically increase our profitability as we do not own the medical equipment used by such centers, and thus do not incur the associated depreciation expenses.

However, service-only agreements are usually short-term in nature, and the risk of non-renewal of such agreements is high. We also typically receive a lower contracted percentage under such service-only agreements compared to the percentage we receive from cooperative centers managed under lease and management services arrangements. Accordingly, we do not intend to substantially increase the number of service-only agreements in the future. As of December 31, 2023, we did not operate cooperative centers under service-only agreements.

The Range and Mix of Services Provided in Our Cancer Hospitals and Cooperative Centers

The medical service fees charged for the services provided in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers vary by the type of medical equipment used as well as the provinces or regions in China in which such hospitals and centers are located due to the varying applicable price ceilings. Medical service fees in China are subject to government-controlled price ceilings established by the relevant government authorities in the different provinces and regions. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Our Business and Industry— Certain of the medical services and products provided in our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers are effectively subject to regulatory price controls due to our voluntary price-matching policies, which may reduce our profitability” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation of Our Industry—Regulations in China—Regulation of Medical Institutions—Pricing of Medical Services.”

The maximum medical service fees for the same treatment using the same equipment may differ among provinces and regions. Hospitals and centers established in provinces or regions with a significantly higher price ceiling may result in an increase in our revenues derived from such hospitals and centers and higher profit margin for the hospitals and centers, resulting in an increase in our profitability. In addition, certain medical services allow us to charge higher fees than other types of medical services.

For example, medical service fees for treatments provided through head gamma knife systems typically range from approximately RMB12,000 to RMB16,000 per patient case, with each treatment lasting one session for approximately 30 to 90 minutes, and medical service fees for treatments provided through linear accelerators typically range from approximately RMB5,000 to RMB60,000 per patient case, with each treatment lasting from 30 to 40 sessions and ten to 20 minutes each.

In addition, linear accelerators can be integrated with specialized computer software and advanced imaging and detection equipment to provide more effective and advanced treatments such as three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, which significantly increase the medical service fees per treatment. Furthermore, diagnostic imaging services typically have lower profit margins than radiotherapy treatments.

The Cost of Our Medical Equipment

Depreciation expense associated with the medical equipment that we purchase and use in our hospitals and centers represents a significant portion of our cost of revenues. Our ability to reduce the price of medical equipment purchased, thereby reducing the depreciation expense associated with the medical equipment purchased, will increase our profitability. Our extensive network of centers has provided us with increased bargaining power with equipment manufacturers.

We have entered into strategic agreements with certain medical equipment manufacturers in order to lower the average cost of our equipment. These agreements provide that we will receive preferential pricing if we purchase a certain number of units of equipment from a manufacturer within a given period. However, we are not required by such agreements to commit to purchase a minimum number of units of equipment from such manufacturers or precluded from purchasing equipment from other manufacturers.

We aim to continue to enter into additional strategic agreements with medical equipment manufacturers to reduce the cost of our equipment in the future. Furthermore, we expect the purchase prices of our primary medical equipment to decrease over time as a result of technological advancement and increased competition.

Financial Impact of Our Acquisitions and Disposals

The consideration we paid for each acquisition was allocated to the net assets acquired at estimated fair value, with the acquired intangible assets amortized over the period of expected benefits to be realized. During 2019, Tianjin Jiatai made capital injection to Shanghai Imaging Center, and increased the equity interest in it from 56.77% to 78.34%. In July 2019, we entered into an agreement with Tianjin Jiatai, to purchase all of its 90% equity interest in Wuxi Hospital. After the acquisition, Wuxi Hospital became our wholly owned subsidiary. In September 2019, we entered into an agreement with ZR Guofu, pursuant to which ZR Guofu sold its 77.18% equity interest in Tianjin Jiatai to us. We paid the consideration in August and September 2019 and completed the related registration on November 18, 2019. In November 2019, ZR Guofu entered into another agreement with us and Tianjin Jiatai to withdraw from Tianjin Jiatai and its subsidiaries. As a result of ZR Guofu’s withdrawal, we became the sole shareholder of Tianjin Jiatai and its subsidiaries, including Shanghai Imaging Center, Wuxi Hospital, Heze Meizhong Jiahe, Shanghai Rongchi and Oriental Light Group Limited. These transactions are entered into in conjunction of each other and therefore, are accounted for as a single transaction. The fair value of the gross assets acquired during the acquisition is not concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets and it meets the definition of a business and was accounted for as business acquisition under ASC 805.

During 2020, we acquired a 70% equity interest in Guangzhou Concord Management and disposed of a 90% equity interest in Concord Healthcare Singapore Pte Ltd. In March 2020, Concord Healthcare entered into a share purchase agreement with independent third parties, to purchase 70% or 14,000,000 shares of Guangzhou Concord Management (formerly known as Guangzhou New Spring Hospital Management Ltd.) with a consideration of RMB8.4 million. The business substance of the purchase was to acquire Guangzhou Outpatient Department, which was a wholly owned subsidiary of Guangzhou Concord Management located in downtown Guangzhou, to attract more patients for our self-built cancer hospital in the suburb of Guangzhou. In November 2020, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell 90% equity interest in Concord Healthcare Singapore Pte Ltd, which operates and owns a general medical and surgical hospital, namely Concord International Hospital, for a total consideration of approximately SGD52.2 million. In 2023, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell the remaining equity interest in Concord Healthcare Singapore Pte Ltd with a consideration of SGD5.0 million in cash. The transaction was closed on January 5, 2024 and we no longer held equity interest in Concord Healthcare Singapore Pte Ltd since then.

In November and December 2020 and January 2021, certain of our subsidiaries obtained a 26.34% equity interest of Healthingkon with the total consideration of an 89% equity interest of Shanghai Imaging Center and RMB21.5 million. The acquisition date was on January 4, 2021, when we actually obtained the shareholder rights of Healthingkon. On the same day, one of our subsidiaries entered into an acting-in-concert agreement with two other shareholders of Healthingkon, pursuant to which the two shareholders agreed to be coordinated actors on the matters related to shareholders’ rights of Healthingkon. Pursuant to the agreement, we obtained majority control over Healthingkon. Shanghai Imaging Center was under the control and consolidation of us before and after the transaction. The fair value of the gross assets acquired during the acquisition is not concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets and it meets the definition of a business and was accounted for as business acquisition under ASC 805.

In December 2022, we entered into a shares transfer agreement with Shanghai Epu and Shanghai Rongsheng, pursuant to which we sold all the equity interests in Guofu Huimei including 91.4% of the equity interests in Guofu Huimei held by Medstar SH, and 8.6% of the equity interests in Guofu Huimei held by Beijing Concord Medical Technology Limited and its subsidiaries, to Shanghai Epu and Shanghai Rongsheng at the consideration of RMB190.0 million. The sale and the equity interest transfer were completed on December 26, 2022. As a result of the completion of such transaction, we disposed of our equity interests in Guofu Huimei and its subsidiaries, namely Tianjin Jiatai, Shanghai Rongchi, Oriental Light Group Limited and China Medstar.

On March 9, 2023, Shanghai Medstar transferred 27.27% of the partnership interest in Shanghai Xinhe to Shanghai Linen, a limited liability company established in the PRC and ultimately controlled by Ms. Sirong Tian (a shareholder of Model Oasis Limited and Solar Honor Limited), at a consideration of RMB60.0 million (US$8.5 million), which was fully settled on March 10, 2023. Upon completion of such transfer, limited partners of Shanghai Xinhe are Shanghai Medstar and Shanghai Linen, which hold 72.73% and 27.27% of the partnership interest in Shanghai Xinhe, respectively.

On December 27, 2023, we entered into a shares transfer agreement with Sallekey Capital Management Limited. pursuant to which we sold 100% of the equity interests in King Cheers held by Ascendium, together with the 25.0% of the equity interests in Beijing Proton Medical Center through King Cheers, at a nominal consideration of HK$1.00. The sale and the equity interest transfer were completed on December 27, 2023. As a result, we indirectly held a 54.01% equity interest in Beijing Proton Medical Center through Beijing Century Friendship.

Key Components of Results of Operations

Revenues

Our revenues are generated from our network business and our hospital business. The following table sets forth revenue contribution from our network business and our hospital business for the periods indicated:

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Hospital Business

Revenues generated from our hospital business consists of medicine income and medical service income generated from our self-owned cancer hospitals and clinics. Medicine income includes medicine prescribed to patients during or after treatment by the doctors in our cancer hospitals and clinics.

Medical service income include revenue generated from outpatients, which mainly consist of activities for physical examination, treatment, surgeries and tests, as well as that generated from inpatients, which mainly consist of activities for clinical examination and treatment, surgeries, and other fees such as room charges and nursing care.

Network Business

Revenues generated from our network business consist of revenues derived from our network of centers that are directly related to the number of patient visits in our cooperative centers. We receive a contracted percentage of each center’s revenue. Such revenues are derived from medical service fees received by our hospital partners for the services provided in the cooperative centers. The operating expenses of cooperative centers typically include variable expenses, such as salaries and benefits of the medical and other personnel at the cooperative center, the cost of medical consumables, marketing expenses, training expenses, utility expenses and routine equipment repair and maintenance expenses.

Corporate level expenses that cannot be directly attributable to one cooperative center are typically accounted for as our cost of revenues. In addition, under certain lease and management services arrangements with our hospital partners, certain of the center-incurred expenses may be accounted for as our cost of revenues rather than as the expenses of the cooperative centers. Our contracted percentages typically range from 50% to 90% and are typically adjusted on a declining scale over the term of the arrangement. Revenues derived from such cooperative centers are accounted for as “lease and management services” on our consolidated statement of operation.

We also provide management services to a limited number of cooperative centers through service-only agreements from time to time under which the hospital or other third parties own the medical equipment. We typically receive a management fee from each cooperative center equal to a contracted percentage of the cooperative center’s revenue net of specified operating expenses. Revenues derived from providing management services through service-only agreements are accounted for as “management services” on our consolidated statement of operations. As of December 31, 2023, we did not operate cooperative centers under service-only agreements.

For medical services provided at the cooperative centers, patients pay fees directly to our hospital partners and we are not responsible for patient billing and fee collection. Medical service fees in China are typically paid in full upfront by patients prior to receiving services. Generally, patients claim reimbursements, if any is available under the applicable public or private medical insurance plans. As a result, hospitals do not generally experience bad debt problems.

Cost of Revenues. Our cost of revenues for hospital business primarily consists of medicine costs, medical consumables, labor costs of doctors, nurses and other staff involved in the care or treatment of patients, depreciation, hospital buildings rental fee, utilities as well as other related costs incurred in the normal business of a hospital.

Our cost of revenues for network business primarily consists of amortization of acquired intangibles, depreciation of medical equipment purchased, installed and operated in the network of our cooperative centers and other costs, including salaries and material costs of medical supplies.

Selling Expenses. Selling expenses consist primarily of expenses associated with the development of new cancer hospitals and cooperative centers, such as salaries and benefits for our business development personnel, marketing expenses and travel related expenses. Our selling expenses include share-based compensation of RMB2.1 million in 2021, RMB0.5 million in 2022 and nil in 2023.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits for our finance, human resources and administrative personnel, fees and expenses of legal, provisions for allowance for doubtful accounts of accounts receivable and other receivables, accounting and other professional services, insurance expenses, travel related expenses, depreciation of equipment and facilities used for administrative purposes, and other expenses. Our general and administrative expenses also include share-based compensation expenses of RMB12.6 million in 2021, negative RMB6.4 million in 2022 and nil in 2023. See “—Share-based Compensation.”

Impairment of Long-lived Assets. Our impairment of long-lived assets was primarily related to property, plant and equipment in connection with our business operations. We had impairment of long-lived assets of nil, nil and nil in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Share-based Compensation

On October 16, 2008, our board of directors adopted the 2008 share incentive plan. The plan provided for the grant of options, share appreciation rights, or other share-based awards to key employees, directors or consultants. Our board of directors and shareholders initially authorized the issuance of up to 4,765,800 ordinary shares upon exercise of awards granted under our 2008 share incentive plan. On November 26, 2011, our board of directors and the shareholders authorized the issuance of additional 5,101,968 ordinary shares under the 2008 share incentive plan. On May 29, 2015, our board of directors and the shareholders authorized the issuance of additional 4,940,550 ordinary shares under the 2008 share incentive plan.

On November 27, 2009 and September 30, 2011, we granted options to purchase a total of 4,765,800 ordinary shares at exercise prices of US$3.67 and US$2.17 per share, respectively, under our 2008 share incentive plan to our directors and employees. On February 18, 2014, we granted options to purchase 3,479,604 shares at an exercise price of US$2.04 per share that have a contractual life of eight years and vest over four equal installments on the first, second, third and fourth anniversary of the grant date. We also granted 1,370,250 restricted shares, 21,132 restricted shares and 69,564 restricted shares on February 18, 2014, July 1, 2014 and August 1, 2014, respectively, to certain directors, officers and employees. On August 7, 2017, August 8, 2017 and September 13, 2017, we granted 1,453,950 restricted shares, 3,319,200 restricted shares and 45,000 restricted shares, respectively, to certain directors, officers and employees. On October 2, 2018, we granted 5,992,605 restricted shares to certain directors, officers and employees. The restricted shares vest over four equal installments on the first, second, third, and fourth anniversary of the grant date.

We recognize the compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. With respect to share options, we calculated the estimated grant date fair value of the share options granted on the date of grant, using a Binomial Tree Model. The risk-free rate was based on the US Treasury bond yield curve in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected term of the option. The dividend yield was estimated based on the average of our historical dividend yields. The volatility assumption was estimated based on the historical price volatility of ordinary shares of comparable companies in the health care industry. The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying awards and the fair value of our shares that would have been received by the option holders if all in-the-money options had been exercised on the issuance date.

We recorded share-based compensation expenses of approximately RMB14.7 million in 2021, negative RMB5.9 million in 2022 and nil in 2023. We recorded negative share-based compensation in 2022 primarily due to the expiration of all of the share options granted to employees. The 2008 share incentive plan was terminated on the tenth anniversary of the effective date in October 2018. The awards granted prior to the termination date are still subject to the 2008 share incentive plan.

Taxation

Cayman Islands

We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands. Under the current laws of the Cayman Islands, we are not subject to income or capital gains tax. In addition, dividend payments made by us are not subject to withholding tax in the Cayman Islands.

British Virgin Islands

Certain of our subsidiaries are established in the British Virgin Islands and under the current laws of the British Virgin Islands, such subsidiaries are not subject to income or capital gains tax. In addition, upon payments of dividends by these companies to their shareholders, no British Virgin Islands withholding tax will be imposed.

United States

US Proton Therapy Holdings Limited (Delaware) is incorporated in the state of Delaware, United States in 2011. The entity is subject to U.S. federal and state income tax (a flat federal income tax rate of 21% in 2021, 2022 and 2023) on its taxable income under the current laws of the United States. The activities of US Proton Therapy Holdings Limited (Delaware) are located solely in the state of Texas, and as such, it is subject to Texas franchise tax. The amount of current U.S. federal and state income tax for US Proton Therapy Holdings Limited (Delaware) was RMB0.4 million, RMB0.2 million and RMB0.4 million (US$57,000) in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Hong Kong

Our subsidiaries in Hong Kong do not conduct any substantive operations of their own. No provision for Hong Kong profits tax was made in the consolidated financial statements as we had no assessable profits for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023. In addition, upon payment of dividends by these companies to their shareholders, no Hong Kong withholding tax will be imposed.

Singapore

China Medstar is incorporated in Singapore and does not conduct any substantive operations of its own, which was disposed in 2022 as a subsidiary of Guofu Huimei. No provision for Singapore profits tax was made in the consolidated financial statements as the companies had no assessable profits for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023. In addition, upon payment of dividends by China Medstar and Concord International Hospital to their shareholders, no Singapore withholding tax will be imposed.

China

Our PRC subsidiaries are incorporated in the PRC and are governed by applicable PRC income tax laws and regulations. Under the EIT Law and the implementation regulations, the PRC has adopted a uniform tax rate of 25% for all enterprises. Our PRC subsidiaries are subject to the tax rate of 25% since 2012.

The EIT Law provides that enterprises established outside of China whose “effective management organizations” are located in China are considered “resident enterprises” and are generally subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on their worldwide income. In addition, a circular issued by the State Administration of Taxation regarding the standards used to classify certain Chinese-invested enterprises controlled by Chinese enterprises or Chinese group enterprises and established outside of China as “resident enterprises” clarified that dividends and other income paid by such “resident enterprises” will be considered to be PRC source income, subject to PRC withholding tax, currently at a rate of 10%, when recognized by non-PRC enterprise shareholders.

This circular also subjects such “resident enterprises” to various reporting requirements with the PRC tax authorities. Under the implementation regulations to the EIT Law, an “effective management organizations” is defined as a body that has material and overall management and control over the manufacturing and operations, personnel and human resources, finances and properties of an enterprise. In addition, the recent circular mentioned above details that certain Chinese-invested enterprises controlled by Chinese enterprises or Chinese group enterprises will be classified as “resident enterprises” if all of the following are located or resident in China: senior management personnel and departments that are responsible for daily production, operation and management; financial and personnel decision making bodies; key properties, accounting books, company seal, and minutes of board meetings and shareholders’ meetings; and half or more of the directors with voting rights or senior management.

However, as this circular only applies to enterprises established outside of China that are controlled by PRC enterprises or groups of PRC enterprises, it remains unclear how the tax authorities will determine the location of “effective management organizations” for overseas incorporated enterprises that are controlled by individual PRC residents like us and some of our subsidiaries. Therefore, although substantially all of our management is currently located in the PRC, it remains unclear whether the PRC tax authorities would require our overseas registered entities to be treated as PRC tax resident enterprises. If the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a “resident enterprise,” we may be subject to enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% on our worldwide income.

Under the EIT Law, a maximum withholding income tax rate of 20% may be applicable to dividends payable to non-PRC investors that are “non-resident enterprises,” to the extent such dividends are derived from sources within the PRC, and the PRC State Council has reduced such rate to 10% through the implementation regulations. We are a Cayman Islands holding company and substantially all of our income may be derived from dividends we receive from our operating subsidiaries located in the PRC. According to the PRC-HK DTA, Notice 112, Notice 601 and Guoshuihan [2009] No. 81, dividends paid to enterprises incorporated in Hong Kong are subject to a withholding tax of 5% provided that a Hong Kong resident enterprise owns no less than 25% of the PRC enterprise continuously in the last 12 months before distributing the dividend and can be considered as a “beneficial owner” and entitled to treaty benefits under the PRC-HK DTA.

Thus, dividends paid to us through our Hong Kong subsidiary by our subsidiaries in China may be subject to the 5% income tax if the Cayman Islands holding company and our Hong Kong subsidiary are considered as “non-resident enterprises” under the EIT Law and our Hong Kong subsidiary is considered to be a “beneficial owner” and entitled to treaty benefits under the PRC-HK DTA. If we are considered as non-resident enterprise and required under the EIT Law to pay income tax for any dividends we receive from our subsidiaries, it will materially and adversely affect the amount of dividends, if any, we may pay to our shareholders and ADS holders.

Hospital Business. Our gross loss of hospital business decreased by 51.3% to RMB88.4 million (US$12.5 million) in 2023 from RMB181.6 million in 2022. Our gross margin of hospital business decreased to negative 27.7% in 2023 from negative 83.4% in 2022, primarily due to the rapid growth in revenue while we maintained relatively stable cost of revenue for hospital business.

Network Business. Our gross profit of network business decreased by 59.6% to RMB11.8 million (US$1.7 million) in 2023 from RMB29.2 million in 2022. Our gross margin of network business decreased to 5.4% in 2023 from 11.5% in 2022, primarily because we provided software development services under management and technical support with a relatively lower gross profit margin.

Operating Expenses. Our operating expenses increased by 3.7% to RMB386.4 million (US$54.4 million) in 2023 from RMB372.6 million in 2022, primarily due to the increase in general and administrative expenses of RMB18.9 million (US$2.7 million), driven by the increase in provisions for allowance for doubtful accounts of accounts receivable and other receivables included in prepayments and other current assets.

Selling Expenses. Our selling expenses decreased by 8.5% to RMB56.3 million (US$7.9 million) in 2023 from RMB61.5 million in 2022, primarily due to the decrease in staff cost of RMB4.2 million (US$0.6 million) and our efforts to improve operation efficiency and reduce costs . Selling expenses as a percentage of total net revenues decreased to 10.5% in 2023 from 13.0% in 2022. The decrease was primarily because our revenue growth was mainly attributable to medicine income and medical service, which incurred only marginal additional expenses.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by 6.1% to RMB330.1 million (US$46.5 million) in 2023 from RMB311.1 million in 2022, primarily due to (1) an increase of RMB58.3 million (US$8.2 million) in provisions for allowance for doubtful accounts of accounts receivable and other receivables included in prepayments and other current assets; (2) an increase of RMB6.4 million (US$0.9 million) in share-based compensation due to the expiration of all share options granted to employees in 2022, partially offset by (1) a decrease in staff cost of RMB22.6 million (US$3.2 million); (3) a decrease in lawyer fee of RMB9.6million (US$1.4million) from RMB17.8 million, which was derived from the submission of Concord Healthcare’s prospectus to Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2022 which was drawing to a close in 2023, and (4) a decrease in other expenses of RMB20.0 million (US$2.8 million) due to our efforts to improve efficiency and reduce costs. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of total net revenues decreased to 61.4% in 2023 from 65.9% in 2022 resulting from the increased in our net revenues generated from hospital business.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets. We had impairment of long-lived assets of nil and nil in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Operating Loss. As a result of the foregoing, our operating loss was RMB463.0 million (US$65.2 million) in 2023, compared to operating loss of RMB525.0 million in 2022.

Interest Expense. Our interest expense increased to RMB165.7 million (US$23.3 million) in 2023 from RMB120.4 million in 2022, primarily due to the increase in loan principal in the amount of RMB469.8 million (US$66.2 million) and an increase in weighted average interest rate.

Foreign Exchange (Loss) Gain, Net. We had foreign exchange gain, net RMB55.0 million and RMB10.1 million (US$1.4 million) in 2022 and 2023, primarily due to fluctuations in exchange rate.

Loss on Disposal of Long-lived Assets. We had gain on disposal of long-lived assets of RMB62,000 (US$8,733) in 2023 associated with equipments, compared to RMB3,000 in 2022.

Interest Income. Our interest income increased to RMB10.8 million (US$1.5 million) in 2023 from RMB10.0 million in 2022, primarily due to increase of loans principal by certain of the borrowers.

Change in fair value of derivative liability. Our change in fair value of derivative liability increased to RMB5.2 million (US$0.7 million) in 2023 from RMB1.0 million in 2022, primarily due to fair value change of derivative liability.

Income from Equity Method Investments. Our income from equity method investments increased to RMB20.8 million (US$2.9 million) in 2023 from RMB17.6 million in 2022, and the increase in 2023 was primarily due to the equity pick up gain from Zhejiang Marine

Other Expenses, Net; Loss on Disposal of Subsidiaries; Gain on Disposal of an Equity Method Investment. In 2022, we had other expenses, net of RMB216.6 million mainly in relation to the termination of the cooperation agreements for the Beijing Proton Medical Center project and loss on disposal of subsidiaries of RMB61.5 million relating to the disposal of Guofu Huimei and its subsidiaries. We did not have gain on disposal of an equity method investment in 2022. In 2023, we had other expenses, net of RMB10.8 million (US$1.4 million) mainly in relation to the termination of cooperation relationships with one cooperative hospital, partially offset by the proton equipment transfer income of Beijing Proton Medical Center project, loss on disposal of subsidiaries of RMB0.6 million (US$0.1 million) mainly relating to the disposal of King Cheers, and gain on sale of partial interests in an equity method investment of RMB 37.5 million (US$5.3 million) in relation to the sale of partial interests in Shanghai Xinhe.

Income Tax Benefit. We had income tax benefit of RMB24.6 million (US$3.5 million) in 2023, compared to RMB70.9 million in 2022, primarily due to we had net tax operating losses from our PRC subsidiaries.

Net Loss. As a result of the foregoing, our net loss decreased to RMB531.0 million (US$74.8 million) in 2023 from RMB769.0 million in 2022.

Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2021

Total Net Revenues. Our total net revenues decreased by 2.8% to RMB472.1 million in 2022 from RMB485.6 million in 2021.

Hospital Business. Our net revenues generated from hospital business increased by 35.0% to RMB217.6 million in 2022 from RMB161.2 million in 2021, primarily due to the ramp-up of our hospitals and clinics, especially Guangzhou Hospital which only started to generate revenues since June 2021, partially offset by a decrease in net revenues generated from Shanghai Outpatient Department and Shanghai Imaging Center because of the temporary closure in the second quarter of 2022 as a result of the containment measure imposed in Shanghai amid the regional resurgence of COVID-19.

Network Business. Our net revenues generated from our network business decreased by 21.6% to RMB254.4 million in 2022 from RMB324.4 million in 2021, primarily due to (1) a decrease in net revenues generated from medical solutions of RMB38.2 million as the delivery and acceptance process of our medical solutions was negatively affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in 2022, (2) a decrease in net revenues generated from operating lease of RMB17.7 million as the operations of our hospital partners were negatively affected by the regional resurgence of COVID-19 in 2022, and (3) a decrease in net revenues generated from management and technical support of RMB11.3 million as a result of the expiration of agreements with certain management and technical support customers in 2022.

Cost of Revenues. Total cost of revenues increased by 15.1% to RMB624.5 million in 2022 from RMB542.5 million in 2021.

Hospital Business. Our cost of revenues of hospital business increased by 38.3% to RMB399.3 million in 2022 from RMB288.7 million in 2021, primarily due to (1) an increase in hospital operating expenses such as medicine costs, medical consumables, and water, electricity and property charges of RMB35.3 million driven by the ramping up of our hospitals and clinics, (2) an increase in depreciation of RMB29.4 million associated with our medical equipment and facilities, and (3) an increase in staff cost of RMB28.4 million primarily for medical professionals at our Guangzhou Hospital since its opening in June 2021, which was previously recorded as general and administrative expenses.

Network Business. Our cost of revenues of network business decreased by 11.3% to RMB225.2million in 2022 from RMB253.8 million in 2021, primarily due to a decrease in cost of medical equipment of RMB18.4 million, which was generally in line with the decreased scale of medical solutions.

Gross Loss and Gross Margin. As a result of the foregoing, we had a gross loss of RMB152.4 million in 2022, compared to a gross loss of RMB56.9 million in 2021. Our overall gross margin was negative 11.7% and negative 32.3% in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Hospital Business. Our gross loss of hospital business increased by 42.4%to RMB181.6 million in 2022 from RMB127.5 million in 2021. Our gross margin of hospital business decreased to negative 83.4% in 2022 from negative 79.1% in 2021, primarily due to (1) the decreased net revenues generated from Shanghai Outpatient Department and Shanghai Imaging Center as a result of their temporary closure in the second quarter of 2022 amid the regional resurgence of COVID-19, and (2) the substantial costs for our other hospitals and clinics during the ramp-up stage, especially our Guangzhou Hospital.

Network Business. Our gross profit of network business decreased by 58.6% to RMB29.2 million in 2022 from RMB70.6 million in 2021. Our gross margin of network business decreased to 11.5% in 2022 from 21.8% in 2021, primarily because (1) we began to provide software development services under management and technical support with a relatively lower gross profit margin, and (2) our healthcare consultation services through our internet hospital had a low profit margin at the initial stage.

Operating Expenses. Our operating expenses decreased by 7.2% to RMB372.6 million in 2022 from RMB401.4 million in 2021, primarily due to the negative effect of COVID-19 outbreak in 2022, partially offset by the opening of our Guangzhou Hospital since June 2021.

Selling Expenses. Our selling expenses increased by 14.5% to RMB61.5 million in 2022 from RMB53.7 million in 2021, primarily due to an increase in staff cost of RMB11.3 million as a result of the expansion of our sales and marketing team to accommodate the increasing marketing demands of Guangzhou Hospital, which commenced operation in June 2021. Selling expenses as a percentage of total net revenues increased to 13.0% in 2022 from 11.1% in 2021. The increase was primarily due to our intense sales and marketing efforts to support the ramp-up of our hospital business.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses decreased by 10.5% to RMB311.1 million in 2022 from RMB347.7 million in 2021, primarily due to (1) a decrease in staff cost of RMB27.7 million as the related cost for medical professionals at our Guangzhou Hospital was recorded under cost of revenues since its opening in June 2021, and (2) the decreased scale of our network business as a result of the negative impact of COVID-19. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of total net revenues decreased to 65.9% for the year ended December 31, 2022 from 71.6% for the year ended December 31, 2021 for the same reasons.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets. We had impairment of long-lived assets of nil and nil in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Operating Loss. As a result of the foregoing, our operating loss was RMB525.0 million in 2022, compared to operating loss of RMB458.3 million in 2021.

Interest Expense. Our interest expense increased to RMB120.4 million in 2022 from RMB73.9 million in 2021, primarily due to an increase in loan principal of RMB601.3 million and an increase in weighted average interest rate.

Foreign Exchange (Loss) Gain, Net. We had foreign exchange loss, net of RMB19.9 million and foreign exchange gain, net RMB55.0 million in 2021 and 2022, primarily due to fluctuations in exchange rate.

Loss on Disposal of Long-lived Assets. We had loss on disposal of long-lived assets of RMB3,000 in 2022 associated with the disposal of medical consumables by self-operated medical institutions, compared to nil in 2021.

Interest Income. Our interest income increased to RMB10.0 million in 2022 from RMB5.9 million in 2021, primarily due to an increase in loan principal.

Change in fair value of derivative liability. Our change in fair value of derivative liability increased to RMB1.0 million in 2022 from negative RMB39,000 in 2021, primarily due to the fluctuations in the fair value of the derivative liability.

Income from Equity Method Investments. Our income from equity method investments remained relatively stable at RMB18.2 million and RMB17.6 million in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Other Expenses, Net; Loss on Disposal of Subsidiaries; Gain on Disposal of an Equity Method Investment. In 2021, we had other expenses, net of RMB1.2 million. We did not have loss on disposal of subsidiaries and gain on disposal of an equity method investment in 2021. In 2022, we had other expenses, net of RMB216.6 million mainly in relation to the termination of the cooperation agreements for the Beijing Proton Medical Center project and loss on disposal of subsidiaries of RMB61.5 million relating to the disposal of Guofu Huimei and its subsidiaries. We did not have gain on disposal of an equity method investment in 2022.

Income Tax Benefit. We had income tax benefit of RMB70.9 million in 2022, compared to RMB6.5 million in 2021, primarily due to increases in our net tax operating losses from our PRC subsidiaries.

Net Loss. As a result of the foregoing, our net loss increased to RMB769.0 million in 2022 from RMB522.7 million in 2021.

B.Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash Flows and Working Capital

Our liquidity needs include (1) net cash used in operating activities that consists of (i) cash required to fund the initial build-out and continued expansion of our cancer hospitals and cooperative centers and (ii) our working capital needs, which include payment of our operating expenses and financing of our accounts receivable; and (2) net cash used in investing activities that consists of the investments in our direct investment entities. To date, we have financed our operations primarily through cash flows from operations and short-term and long-term bank borrowings.

We had net current liabilities of RMB1,334.2 million (US$188.0 million) as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, we had RMB722.6 million (US$101.8 million) in the current portion of long-term bank and other borrowings, RMB319.6 million (US$45.0 million) in short-term borrowings outstanding, RMB58.1 million (US$8.2 million) in cash and cash equivalents, and RMB32.3 million (US$4.5 million) in current restricted cash. As of December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of RMB4,064.6 million (US$572.5 million) and a total shareholders’ deficit of RMB2,121.9 million (US$298.9 million).

We had net losses in recent years. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, our net loss was approximately RMB522.7 million, RMB769.0 million and RMB531.0 million (US$74.8 million), respectively. We had net cash used in operating activities of RMB216.7 million and RMB276.5 million (US$38.9 million) in 2022 and 2023, respectively. These conditions raised substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

From January 2024 to March 2024, we entered into five loan contracts with the amount of RMB90.0 million (US$12.7 million), all principals has been received as of the date of this annual report. In addition, as of the same date, we have received HK$554.9 million (approximately US$71.0 million) through the effective listing of Concord Healthcare on the HKSE. We will focus on the following activities: (1) we plan to seek additional equity and debt financing from new investors into our hospital and network business operation and extend the terms of current loans; (2) we plan to improve the profitability of network business and hospital business through, among others, upgrading cloud system solutions, accelerating the transformation of scientific research and training achievements into clinical application; and (3) we are currently focusing on improving operational efficiency and reducing cost to standardize operations, enhance internal controls, and create synergy of our resources. Therefore, our management believes that the substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date the financial statements are issued has been alleviated.

Based on cash flows projection from operating and financing activities and existing balance of cash and cash equivalents, our management concludes that we have sufficient funds for sustainable operations and it will be able to meet its payment obligations from operations and debt related commitments for the next 12 months from the issuance of the consolidated financial statements. Based on the above considerations, the accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of asset and amounts and classification of liabilities that may be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

We may, however, require additional cash due to changing business conditions or other future developments, including any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue. If our existing cash is insufficient to meet our requirements, we may seek to sell equity securities or debt securities or borrow from banks. We cannot assure you that financing will be available in the amounts we need or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. The sale of equity securities would dilute our shareholders. The incurrence of debt would divert cash from working capital and capital expenditures to service debt obligations and could result in operating and financial covenants that would restrict our operations and our ability to pay dividends to our shareholders. If we are unable to obtain additional equity or debt financing as required, our business, operations and prospects may suffer. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We had losses, negative cash flows from operating activities and net current liabilities, and we may incur losses and negative cash flows from operating activities and experience net current liabilities in the future.”

Indebtedness

In May 2018, Shanghai Hospital entered into a long-term loan agreement of RMB1.0 billion with Bank of Shanghai that bears an interest rate of 5.88% per annum. The loan is secured by land use rights and construction in progress. As of December 31, 2023, we had an outstanding balance of RMB953.0 million (US$134.2million). The loan will be due in May 2028.

In July 2018, Guangzhou Hospital entered into a long-term loan agreement of RMB500.0 million with China Construction Bank that bears a floating interest rate. The loan is secured by land use rights. As of December 31, 2023, we had an outstanding balance of RMB467.0 million (US$65.8 million). The loan will be due in July 2028.

In November 2020, Guangzhou Hospital entered into a long-term loan agreement of RMB400.0 million with China Construction Bank that bears a floating interest rate. The loan is secured by land use rights. As of December 31, 2023, we had an outstanding balance of RMB381.6 million (US$53.7 million). The loan will be due in November 2030.

In January 2023, Concord Healthcare entered into an agreement with a maximum credit limit of RMB35.0 million with Bank of Nanjing. Dr. Jianyu Yang, our chairman and chief executive officer, and Shanghai Outpatient Department shall provide corresponding maximum guarantee for the credit. Pursuant to the maximum credit limit agreement, two working capital loan agreements was entered into between both parties, each in the amount of RMB10.0 million, to meet working capital needs of Concord Healthcare. The loan terms are from January 16, 2023 to January 16,2024 and from April 21, 2023 to April 21,2024, respectively. The interest rate is fixed at 5.5% per annum. As of December 31, 2023, we had a total outstanding balance of RMB20.0 million (US$2.8 million).

In October 2023, Shanghai Medstar entered into a loan agreement with Shanghai Qianlai Industrial Co., Ltd (“Shanghai Qianlai”) in which Shanghai Qianlai agreed to lend up to RMB80.0 million to the Shanghai Medstar. The interest rate for the loan is fixed at 8.0% per annum. This loan is a revolving credit loan, with a period from October 11,2023 to October 10,2024. As of the date of this annual report, RMB80.0 million (US$11.3 million) was received by us.

Certain bank borrowings were secured by equipment with a net carrying value of RMB412.7 million and RMB391.1 million (US$55.1 million), accounts receivable with a carrying value of RMB11.2 million and RMB13.3 million (US$1.9 million) including lease receivables with a carrying value of RMB0.3 million and RMB1.8 million (US$0.3 million), land use rights with a carrying value of RMB396.0 million and RMB386.6 million (US$54.5 million), construction in progress with a carrying value of RMB1,754.2 million and RMB2,027.3 million (US$285.5 million), and long-term investments with a carrying value of RMB179.2 million and RMB189.7 million (US$26.7 million), as of December 31, 2022 and 2023, respectively.

As of December 31, 2022 and 2023, the short-term bank and other borrowing bore a weighted average interest of 6.60% and 8.19% per annum, respectively, and the long-term bank and other borrowings bore a weighted average interest of 6.48% and 7.42% per annum, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, we had unutilized short-term bank credit lines and unutilized long-term bank credit lines amounting to nil and RMB930.0 million (US$ 131.0 million), respectively.

From time to time, we also enter into loan agreements with our related parties. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions.”

Accounts Receivable

Fees for medical services provided at the centers are paid directly to our hospital partners by patients and we are not responsible for patient billing and fee collection. Medical service fees in China are typically paid in full upfront by patients prior to receiving services. Generally, patients claim reimbursements, if any, is available under the applicable public or private medical insurance plans. As a result, hospitals do not generally experience bad debt problems.

However, the healthcare reform announced by the PRC government in January 2009 has introduced pilot public medical insurance plans. Under these plans patients are only responsible for paying their deductible amounts upfront and hospitals are responsible for seeking reimbursements from the relevant government authorities after providing treatments. Certain of the hospitals in which some of the centers in our network are based are involved in such pilot medical insurance plan.

We do not expect such change in payment timing to materially affect our ability to collect our contracted percentage from our hospital partners. However, the ability of our hospital partners to collect medical service fees from the government authorities in a timely manner may affect the timing of payments made by our hospital partners to us as a result.

The following table sets forth our account receivables by age and pay or type as of December 31, 2023: