More than 600 Chinese pharmacy store owners and government officials are set to descend on Melbourne with one goal - to strike as many deals as they can. 
The delegation has invited Australian vitamin makers and other health product manufacturers to do business with them at the Pullman Hotel in Albert Park.
China Medical Pharmaceutical Material Association chairman Ma Shoujun says contracts would be signed at the end of the event, scheduled for   June 26-28.
"This is not like the way Chinese delegations are traditionally done - come here, have a look, talk and then nothing happens," Mr Ma said. "This time, something will happen, contracts will be signed - business to business. And the business will be ongoing. We want to form partnerships."
Mr Ma's association represents 240,000 pharmacy outlets, the frontline of China's health industry, which is estimated at 8000 billion yuan ($1638 billion).
The pharmacy owners will be looking to source products such vitamins, infant formula, health drinks, lambswool and allergy-resistant bedding and other health products.
Mr Ma said the association, which represents about 80 per cent of China's pharmacies, was looking to adopt a similar model to Chemist Warehouse, in which the majority of products were not sold through the dispensary.
He said in China about 70 per cent of pharmacy sales were through the dispensary, while 30 per cent were over-the-counter medications or health-related products. Pharmacy owners were looking to flip that model to capitalise on China's growing middle class.