世界贸易组织《应对新冠肺炎疫情的医疗用品贸易在2020年的发展》-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, trade in medical goods was valued at US$ 2,343 billion, showing a 16.3% increase compared to 2019. This growth outpaced the overall 7.6% contraction in world merchandise trade.
• Pandemic-Related Products: Trade in goods critical for fighting the pandemic, such as face masks, ventilators, and diagnostic reagents, grew by 31% in 2020, valued at US$ 794 billion.
• China's Dominance: China became the largest exporter of pandemic-critical medical products, with exports valued at US$ 105 billion, a 2.8-fold increase from 2019.
• Top Exporters and Importers: The top 10 exporting economies accounted for 71.6% of world exports of pandemic-critical products, while the top 10 importers accounted for 61.7% of world imports.
• Test Kits and Diagnostic Reagents: These products accounted for around 10% of per capita import expenses on pandemic-critical goods in high-incidence economies and saw a 44.2% increase in imports in 2020.

Introduction

This report provides an update on the trade in medical goods in 2020, highlighting the significant changes compared to the first half of the year and the previous year. It includes trade statistics for around 100 economies and a special case study on diagnostic reagents and test kits, which are essential for monitoring the pandemic and guiding government policies.

Medical Goods Trade Growth Amid Global Decline

• The global merchandise trade declined by 14% in the first half of 2020, but the contraction slowed to 1.5% in the second half.
• Despite the overall trade decline, medical goods trade experienced a 16.3% increase in 2020, significantly higher than the 4.7% increase in 2019.
• The share of medical goods in world trade rose from 5.3% in 2019 to 6.6% in 2020, driven by a small group of 92 HS subheadings.
• Personal protective products, especially face masks, saw the highest trade growth (47.2%) and share increase (from 13.7% to 17.4%).
• Diagnostic reagents and test kits accounted for around 20% of trade in medical supplies and 3.4% of all medical product trade.

Top Three Traders of Pandemic-Critical Products

• China, the United States, and Germany are the top three traders of pandemic-critical products, collectively accounting for 41% of global trade in these goods.
• China's exports of pandemic-critical products increased by 176.1% in 2020, making it the largest exporter.
• The United States remained the top importer, with imports valued at US$ 78 billion, accounting for almost 20% of global imports.
• The top 10 exporters accounted for 71.6% of global pandemic-critical product exports, while the top 10 importers accounted for 61.7% of global imports.

Case Study: Diagnostic Reagents and Test Kits

• Diagnostic reagents and test kits are essential for tracking the spread of the virus and informing public health policies.
• These products are classified under HS subheading 3822.00 and saw a dramatic increase in trade after the pandemic began.
• In December 2020, exports of these products increased by 90% year-on-year, while imports grew by 126%.
• The top four exporters and importers of test kits in 2020 were the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, in that order.
• The Republic of Korea saw a 757.2% increase in exports of test kits, while Singapore saw a 7.9% decrease.
• The United States, despite being the top exporter, had a relatively low per capita import expense on test kits, amounting to just over US$ 16, or 7% of its total spending on pandemic-critical imports.
• On average, 12.5% of the import cost for pandemic-related goods was spent on test kits.

Tariff Trends on Diagnostic Reagents and Test Kits

• The average world applied MFN tariff on test kits was relatively low at 2.1%.
• India imposed the highest import duty at 10%, followed by Brazil at 8% and the Russian Federation at 5%.
• For the rest of the economies listed in Table 5, test kits and diagnostic reagents were duty-free.
• Globally, more than two-thirds of economies do not impose any tariffs on this product, and 20% apply tariffs of 5% or less.

Conclusion

The global trade in medical goods, particularly pandemic-critical products, experienced significant growth in 2020, reflecting the urgent demand for goods such as face masks, ventilators, and diagnostic reagents. China emerged as the largest exporter, while the United States remained the top importer. The trade dynamics were heavily influenced by the pandemic, with countries increasing their reliance on imports and some shifting from importers to exporters. The role of diagnostic reagents and test kits was crucial, not only in monitoring the spread of the virus but also in shaping global trade patterns and government policies.