China hits back with medtech procurement curbs

China has imposed new restrictions excluding EU-based companies from bidding on government medical device contracts worth over 45 million yuan (€5.3m), escalating trade tensions with Europe. This retaliation follows the EU’s move to restrict Chinese medtech firms from contracts above €5m, affecting access to roughly 60% of EU public spending in the sector. Although EU-funded products made within China remain unaffected, the curbs come as medtech remains a major pillar for countries like Ireland, employing over 48,000 people. 

With Chinese medtech exports to the EU having doubled since 2015, the procurement standoff signals deeper fractures in already strained trade relations. For procurement leaders, this underlines the risks of geopolitical exposure in critical supply chains.

Read the full article for deeper insights on strategic procurement risks.