China today responded to the European Union’s move of barring Chinese companies from participating in EU public tenders for medical devices by imposing a similar ban on European firms, marking another chapter in the ongoing trade tensions between the two economies.
In a statement, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that EU companies — except those having production base in China — will be excluded from participating in bids exceeding 45 million yuan ($6.3 million).
The Chinese ban, effective immediately, includes a wide range of products from prosthetics to spare parts for medical devices and surgical instruments. The ministry also stated that EU products must not make up more than 50% of offers submitted by non-European companies.