On August 3, in response to the Trump administration’s threats to add $200 billion of tariffs on Chinese goods, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that they will tax 5% to 25% on an additional $60 billion worth of U.S. goods. The Chinese government released the list of products that will be hit with tariffs, which included many medical devices such as 25% on ostomy appliances, 20% on X-ray products, 10% on dental equipment, and 5% on MRI and kidney dialysis equipment. The exact date for implementing these taxes has not yet been released.
In addition, on August 7, the U.S. put 25% tariffs on $16 billion worth of Chinese goods that will be effective on August 23. In response, on August 8, the Chinese government released a list of $16 billion worth of U.S. goods that will be subject to a 25% tax, which will also be implemented starting on August 23. This list includes several additional medical products, including MRIs, patient monitoring systems, X-ray systems, and ophthalmic devices.