WTO发布COVID-19背景下的医疗产品贸易最新信息-16页_522kb

Summary of Trade in Medical Goods in the Context of Tackling COVID-19: Developments in 2020

Key Points

• Medical Goods Trade Growth: In 2020, the value of imports and exports of medical goods reached US$ 2,343 billion, marking a 16% increase compared to 2019. This growth contrasts sharply with the 7.6% contraction in world merchandise trade.
• Pandemic-Driven Surge: Trade in test kits and diagnostic reagents saw a sharp rise, with 90% increase in exports and 126% increase in imports in December 2020.
• Share in World Trade: The share of medical goods in global trade increased from 5.3% in 2019 to 6.6% in 2020.
• Critical Products Growth: Trade in goods essential for combating the pandemic (e.g., face masks, ventilators, sterilizers) grew by 31%, valued at US$ 794 billion.
• China's Dominance: China became the largest exporter of pandemic-related medical products, with US$ 105 billion in exports, 2.8 times the value of 2019. Malaysia also saw a 52% increase in exports.
• Top 10 Economies: The top 10 exporters accounted for 71.6% of global exports of critical products, while the top 10 importers accounted for 61.7% of global imports.
• Per Capita Spending: In economies with the highest incidence of COVID-19, diagnostic reagents and test kits accounted for about 10% of per capita import expenses on critical goods.

Introduction

This report provides an update on medical goods trade in 2020, building on the first half update. It includes trade statistics for around 100 economies and compares them to 2019. A special case study focuses on diagnostic reagents and test kits, highlighting their importance in tracking the pandemic and informing policy decisions.

Medical Goods Trade Growth Despite Global Decline

• World trade in goods declined by 14% in the first half of 2020, but only 1.5% in the second half, resulting in an overall 7.6% contraction for the year.
• Medical goods trade grew by 16.3% in 2020, compared to 4.7% in 2019, showing resilience amid the economic downturn.
• Medical supplies (including face masks) and personal protective products experienced the most significant growth in trade value and share, with face masks increasing by 80.9% in value and personal protective products rising by 47.2%.
• Test kits and diagnostic reagents grew by 39.4% in exports and 44.2% in imports, showing a critical role in pandemic response.

Top Traders of COVID-19-Critical Products

• China, the United States, and Germany were the top three traders of pandemic-related medical products, both as exporters and importers.
• China became the largest exporter, with US$ 105 billion in exports, representing 26.7% of global exports.
• The United States remained the largest importer, accounting for 19.6% of global imports, followed by Germany and China.
• Top 10 exporters accounted for 71.6% of global exports, while top 10 importers accounted for 61.7% of global imports.

Bilateral Trade Patterns

• The United States sourced 40.2% of its imports from China and 14% from Mexico in 2020.
• Germany sourced 26.5% of its imports from China and 11.8% from the Netherlands.
• China imported 19.3% of its critical products from the United States, 19.0% from Japan, and 11.8% from Germany.
• Mexico and China accounted for more than half of the United States' imports of pandemic-related goods, with their cumulative share increasing by 13 percentage points.

Case Study: Test Kits and Diagnostic Reagents

• Test kits and diagnostic reagents are crucial for tracking the spread of the virus and shaping government policies.
• These products are classified under HS subheading 3822.00, and their trade increased sharply in 2020.
• Exports of test kits and reagents saw a 90% year-on-year increase in December 2020, while imports increased by 126%.
• Top exporters included the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, with the United States registering a 757% increase in exports.
• Top importers included the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Belgium, with the United Kingdom experiencing an 84.8% increase in imports.
• China was a net importer in 2019 but became a net exporter in 2020 due to increased production capacity.

Per Capita Import Spending

• Diagnostic reagents and test kits accounted for around 10% of per capita import expenses on pandemic-related goods in high-incidence economies.
• The United Kingdom had the highest per capita import spending on test kits and critical goods, with US$ 35.9 on test kits and US$ 282.1 on all critical goods.
• India had the highest import duty on test kits at 10%, while Brazil and the Russian Federation had 8% and 5%, respectively.
• Globally, over two-thirds of economies imposed no tariffs on test kits, and 20% applied tariffs of 5% or less.

Conclusion

The global trade in medical goods saw remarkable growth in 2020, driven by the urgent need to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. While the world merchandise trade declined, the trade in critical medical products increased significantly, with China leading in exports and the United States in imports. The import demand for test kits and diagnostic reagents was especially high in high-incidence economies, and tariffs on these products were relatively low globally, facilitating their availability during the crisis.