Investments in Equity Investees (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Investments in Equity Investees
Investments in equity investees	$ 138,318	$ 144,237
Hutchison Whampoa Guangzhou Baiyunshan Chinese Medicine Company Limited ("HBYS")
Investments in Equity Investees
Investments in equity investees	60,992	55,308
Shanghai Hutchison Pharmaceuticals Limited ("SHPL")
Investments in Equity Investees
Investments in equity investees	68,812	69,417
Nutrition Science Partners Limited ("NSPL")
Investments in Equity Investees
Investments in equity investees	8,102	19,201
Other
Investments in Equity Investees
Investments in equity investees	$ 412	$ 311

This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237563&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8813-108599

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant