According to Japanese media, countries around the world have become more dependent on China for importing medical protective equipment. China’s share of imports of personal protective equipment rose from less than 60 per cent in January to more than 80 per cent. Ninety-six percent of the medical masks used in Japan are imported from China.
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on August 24, the United Nations trade statistics for May showed a surge in global trade in the four types of protective clothing (masks, gowns, protective suits and goggles) that health workers need to wear to prevent infection. As novel Coronavirus infection increases, the need for personal protective equipment increases. Freight rates have also risen because of the switch to air transport. Countries have become more dependent on China for personal protective equipment imports, with the share of Chinese products rising from an average of 59 per cent in January to 83 per cent in May.
Global trade in medical masks used by doctors and nurses rose nearly tenfold to $9.2 billion in May from about $900 million in January, the report said. Chinese products accounted for 96 percent of Japan’s medical masks imports in May, up 16 percentage points from January. Chinese products accounted for 92 percent and 93 percent of the medical masks imported by the United States and the European Union in May, up 20 and 45 percentage points respectively.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun attributed the increased reliance on China to surging demand, while China, the first country to contain the outbreak, expanded exports of protective equipment. Developed countries have increased imports from China while reducing exports to ensure supplies of personal protective equipment. The U.S. government began restricting exports of personal protective equipment, such as surgical masks, in April, and made Chinese-made personal protective equipment a special case to support imports without additional tariffs.