US health care provider Chindex International Inc plans to open two hospitals in Beijing and Guangzhou by 2008, company officials said yesterday.

Chindex President Roberta Lipson said the company was also considering "exploring the market" in Ningbo, Qingdao and Wuxi.

Chindex, in conjunction with FESCO IB Insurance Brokerage Ltd, has also launched health insurance targeted at China's growing middle class.

Chindex, which currently operates 50-bed hospitals in Beijing and Shanghai, said the new product would be the first international health insurance available for Chinese customers to purchase in renminbi.

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