Zhang Xuefeng's Passing Sounds Alarm Bell: These Listed Companies Have Domestic Sudden Death Life-Saving Devices

On the evening of the 24th, @ZhangXuefeng’s account posted an obituary, stating with great sorrow: It is with profound sadness that we inform friends from all walks of life who cared about Professor Zhang Xuefeng that: Dear Professor Zhang Xuefeng, due to sudden cardiac death and unsuccessful resuscitation, he passed away in Suzhou at 3:50 PM on March 24, 2026.

Renowned education blogger and founder of Fengxue Wei Lai, Zhang Xuefeng, passed away in Suzhou due to sudden cardiac death, sparking widespread regret.

This sudden event has once again brought attention to topics such as the “golden 4 minutes” of cardiac arrest first aid, the gap in Automated External Defibrillator (AED) deployment, and the development of domestic emergency medical equipment industries, pushing these issues into the spotlight of public opinion and policy. In a context where out-of-hospital emergency systems are still imperfect, AEDs, from “life-saving devices” to “everywhere,” still require coordinated breakthroughs across policy, industry, and society.

Sudden cardiac death has become the leading cause of sudden death among adults in China. Public data shows that over 500,000 new cases of sudden cardiac death occur annually in China, with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates below 1%, far lower than in developed Western countries.

Beijing Emergency Center chief physician Chen Zhi repeatedly emphasized in an interview with CCTV’s “News 1+1” that the safe oxygen deprivation window for the brain after cardiac arrest is only 4 minutes; each minute of delay reduces patient survival by 7%–10%.

If cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED defibrillation are performed within 4 minutes, survival rates can increase to over 50%.

Most sudden deaths are caused by cardiac arrhythmia leading to cardiac arrest. Before arrest, ventricular fibrillation (VF) occurs, where the ventricles and atria contract rapidly and uncoordinatedly, preventing the heart from pumping blood into the arteries. After VF occurs, the heart’s function rapidly deteriorates; if VF is not promptly terminated, the patient may die within minutes.

AEDs are the key tool to terminate this fatal ventricular fibrillation.

The earliest development of AEDs dates back to the 20th century, designed by Professor Dick from Mainz University Medical School in Germany. This portable, easy-to-operate device diagnoses specific arrhythmias and delivers quick electric shocks to stop ventricular fibrillation.

However, AEDs seem somewhat “unsuited” to China’s context. For a long time, AEDs have been regarded as an obscure and awkward presence: few people know about them, few places have them installed, and even fewer know how to use them.

It wasn’t until public figures experienced sudden cardiac death, sparking social discussion, and frequent incidents of sudden death occurred, that AEDs began to come into public view and receive attention. It was at this point that we realized the deployment and popularization of AEDs lag far behind the incidence of sudden death.

Preventing Sudden Death, AEDs Must Continue to Break Through

Tang Youqing, director of the Emergency Medicine Department at the Second People’s Hospital of Guangdong Province, also pointed out in a public interview that urban traffic congestion and response times make it difficult for ambulances to reach the scene within the “golden 4 minutes.” The gap in pre-hospital emergency care can only be filled by public self-help, mutual aid, and nearby emergency equipment.

Zhang Li, director of Rescue Department at the Red Cross Society of China, stated in an interview that AEDs are the most critical equipment for saving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Proper deployment and standardized use can significantly reduce death rates from sudden cardiac death. By December 2025, the national Red Cross system has installed over 86,000 AEDs in public places, but there remains a huge gap considering population coverage.

Sun Da, Secretary of the Party Committee of the China Charity Federation, also pointed out that in China, there are fewer than 5 AEDs per 100,000 people, compared to over 300 in the U.S. and more than 700 in Japan. More alarmingly, about 70% of cardiac arrests occur in communities, workplaces, and other areas where AED coverage is weakest.

From an industry perspective, the proliferation of AEDs is also steadily advancing.

For a long time, China’s AED market has been dominated by foreign brands, with Philips, Medtronic, ZOLL, and others holding over 70% of the domestic market share. With accelerated development of the public health system and domestic medical device industry, domestic companies like Mindray Medical, Yuwell Medical, Jiuxin Medical, and Weiweis have rapidly risen, achieving technological breakthroughs and market substitution.

According to industry data released by the China Medical Device Industry Association, by the end of 2024, the domestically produced AEDs had an average localization rate of 82.3%, with structural parts, batteries, and other components fully supplied domestically. The localization rate of key core components such as electrocardiogram front-end analog chips and high-voltage energy storage capacitors is steadily increasing.

Previously, sales personnel from South China Medical Equipment told 21st Century Business Herald that domestically produced AEDs are generally priced 30%–50% lower than foreign equivalents, offering significant cost-performance advantages in government procurement and grassroots medical scenarios.

Industry estimates show that by 2025, China’s AED market will exceed 4 billion yuan, with an annual growth rate of over 35%. The market is expected to reach 5.5 billion yuan in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of over 30% from 2025 to 2030. Leading domestic companies already have annual production capacities of tens of thousands of units, with products installed in airports, high-speed rail stations, sports venues, and top-tier hospitals. In some provinces, domestic AEDs account for over 50% of public procurement.

In addition, AED deployment involves not only procurement costs but also consumables such as electrodes and batteries, which are disposable and have a shelf life of 2–5 years. Regular replacement costs approximately 580–1,000 yuan annually.

Meanwhile, driven by market demand, the AED industry is rapidly developing. Besides its role in rescuing patients with cardiac source sudden death, AEDs can also be used in the treatment of other cardiovascular diseases.

Equipment and Emergency Skills Are Both Essential

Despite continuous industry growth, China’s AED deployment still faces significant gaps, uneven regional distribution, and low public awareness.

Nuo Min, chief of general practice at Bajiao Community Health Service Center in Shijingshan District, Beijing, found through surveys that public awareness of AEDs is generally low; many people are afraid to operate or do not know how to operate when they see the device. Although the “Good Samaritan Law” clauses are explicitly included in the Civil Code, providing legal protection for emergency rescue actions, public awareness remains low, and rescuers still have legal and psychological concerns.

Sun Da summarized three main challenges in AED popularization: uneven coverage, maintenance issues, and insufficient training. Some AEDs are poorly managed after deployment, with expired batteries and electrodes rendering them useless, turning them into “visible but unusable” decorations.

At the same time, only about 10 million people in China receive standardized emergency rescue training each year, with an emergency knowledge awareness rate of less than 1%, far from forming a societal emergency rescue capacity. Spatially, core transportation hubs and large shopping malls in first-tier cities have relatively high coverage, while second- and third-tier cities, counties, office buildings, and corporate campuses are severely lacking. The workplace environment where Zhang Xuefeng suddenly passed away is a typical emergency blind spot.

In fact, the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China explicitly states that “if voluntary emergency rescue causes harm to the assisted person, the rescuer shall not bear civil liability.”

More importantly, AEDs are called “foolproof defibrillators” because their operation is very simple, and non-professionals can use them. Non-professionals need not worry excessively about operation; just follow the screen instructions, and there should be no problem.

As a “life-saving device” for sudden cardiac death, AEDs can provide more possibilities for saving lives. Using an AED may give a sudden death patient an extra chance to survive.

Policy measures have begun systematically addressing public emergency rescue shortcomings. Both the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans include improving the public emergency system, promoting AED deployment, and emergency skills training as key tasks for building a Healthy China. Multiple departments, including the National Health Commission, Ministry of Transport, and Ministry of Education, jointly issued notices requiring that by 2027, AEDs be basically covered in airports, train stations, subway stations, schools, large shopping malls, and key enterprises. Many local governments have incorporated AED deployment into livelihood projects and provided financial subsidies and special funds.

There have been proposals to implement precise AED deployment based on community population density and cardiovascular disease risk indicators, focusing on old neighborhoods, industrial parks, office buildings, and other areas with emergency gaps.

On the industry side, integrated operation models combining AEDs, IoT, and emergency training are gradually becoming mainstream. Device networking, location tracking, remote monitoring, and expiration reminders greatly improve maintenance efficiency. By 2025, the total public funding for domestic AEDs has exceeded 1.5 billion yuan, with capital continuing to flow toward domestic enterprises with core technologies and full-chain service capabilities.

Zhang Xuefeng’s passing once again proves that sudden cardiac death affects all ages, professions, and statuses. The widespread adoption of AEDs is no longer optional but a public safety imperative. From industry development, domestic companies still need to make continuous breakthroughs in reliability, intelligence, and cost control, accelerate the full independence of core components, and promote integrated services of equipment, training, and maintenance. Policy-wise, efforts should be made to strengthen legal protections for rescuers, increase public awareness of “emergency rescue exemption,” and gradually make AED deployment and emergency training mandatory.

Most importantly, society’s overall emergency rescue literacy must be improved.

Only when enterprises, communities, and schools actively undertake deployment and public education responsibilities, and media and public welfare organizations continuously promote the concepts of “dare to use, know how to use, easy to use” emergency rescue, can AEDs truly become part of streets, alleys, buildings, and workshops. The “golden 4 minutes” life line can then be truly fortified. For the emerging domestic AED industry, the concentrated demand for public emergency rescue is not only a market opportunity but also a heavy social responsibility.

Appendix: How to Use an AED?

1. Confirm if the patient is unconscious; tap and shout loudly.

2. If no response, seek help; call 120 and retrieve the AED.

3. Check breathing (5–10 seconds); perform chest compressions and rescue breaths.

4. Turn on the AED and attach the electrode pads as shown. The AED will automatically analyze the heart rhythm.

5. Follow the AED prompts to deliver a shock or continue chest compressions and rescue breaths.

Precautions

The AED can deliver up to 200 joules instantly. During rescue, immediately step away from the patient after pressing the shock button, and warn anyone nearby not to touch the patient.

Do not use the AED if the patient is in water. If the patient’s chest is sweaty, quickly dry it, as water reduces AED effectiveness.

If, after using the AED, the patient shows no signs of life (no breathing or heartbeat), seek hospital treatment immediately.

(Source: 21st Century Business Herald)