Export restrictions imposed by China have resulted in American companies’ face masks, test kits, and other medical equipment essential to fighting COVID-19 stranded in China. According to US diplomatic memos, the large quantities of protective gear and medical goods are sitting in Chinese warehouses, unable to receive the necessary clearances and therefore not permitted to be exported to the US.
PerkinElmer, a healthcare equipment maker based in Massachusetts, has been unable to ship 1.4 million test kits for COVID-19 because it lacks certifications that are required under new export rules. The test kits are sitting in PerkinElmer’s Suzhou factory. PerkinElmer stated that it is working with the Chinese government to clear the kits.
