A senior Chinese economist called on his government to stop its exports of antibiotics to the United States in the context of the ongoing trade war between the two countries, British newspaper The Sunday Times reported on Monday.
Li Dawkui, at a general meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), stressed that Beijing should use its hegemony in the field of antibiotics to reduce medical supplies to the United States.
It is estimated that the United States imports 96 percent of antibiotics from China.
Said Lee, a professor of economics at Tsinghua University prestigious " In fact, we are at the mercy of others when it comes to computer chips, but we are the largest exporter of raw materials for vitamins and antibiotics in the world.
Lee said in a speech to the largest political advisory group, part of the annual national conference: "If we cut exports, medical systems in some Western countries will not work well.
Global pharmaceutical companies, including the United States, are outsourcing, notably China, in many of its production lines because of low costs and abundant raw materials for the industry.
Judy Stone, a specialist in infectious diseases in the United States, raised concerns about the availability of antibiotics and other essential medical supplies, saying it should be considered a national security issue.
she said By relying on a few manufacturers and sourcing raw materials, the United States puts itself in a dangerous place.
Stone said the United States imported 80 percent of the pharmaceutical from India in 2017, while China produces 40 percent of the ingredients America needs.
she said, "If China and India simply decide to stop selling raw pharmaceuticals, we will not be able to produce 80 percent of the drugs we need".
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