Malaysia could capture an additional 10% of the US medical glove market after Washington imposed an extra 10% tariff on all imported Chinese goods from 4 February 2025, according to analysts. China-made medical gloves already face high US tariffs, with the Biden administration raising the levy to 50% in 2025 and 100% in 2026. With the latest tariff increase under the Trump administration Chinese gloves will be hit with a tariff of 60% in 2025 and 110% in 2026, making them less competitive. The tariffs could prompt US distributors to shift from Chinese glove manufacturers to Malaysian producers.
On 11 February, the provincial government of Guangdong unveiled a raft of measures to promote the in-depth integration of manufacturing and producer services. It aims to build priority industry chains, industry clusters, integrated demonstration carriers and industry ecosystems and to promote the integration of manufacturing with scientific and technological services, human resources, quality services and e-commerce. Efforts will be made to build a number of professional and market-oriented institutions to support technology transfers and commercialisation and improve the ability to commercialise scientific and technological achievements. Steps will be taken to achieve the deep integration of entire business chains by outsourcing human resources through human resource service agencies, building human resource sharing centres, developing professional human resource services and other means. Leveraging key industry chains such as new-generation information and communication industry, AI, new materials and sophisticated equipment industry, efforts will be made to establish a number of landmark projects with stable quality and strong industry chain credentials. Focusing on strategic pillar industry clusters such as electronic information, home appliances, light industry, textiles, modern agriculture and food, efforts will be made to upgrade the capacity of e-commerce and public services.
The provincial government of Guangdong unveiled its 2025 action plan for building a modern industrial system on 6 February. The plan puts forward eight tasks: building a strong foundation for scientific and technological innovation; fostering outstanding industrial clusters; empowering intelligent technologies; promoting regional coordination and collaboration; encouraging industrial opening up and cooperation; introducing and nurturing authorised economic operators; upgrading quality and brands; and ensuring that the security of resources and production factors is guaranteed. Through these eight tasks, the plan seeks to strengthen core technologies, promote the effective commercialisation of scientific and technological achievements, consolidate and upgrade conventional industries while making deployments to drive industries of the future, expand the application of software and information services, promote the in-depth application of artificial intelligence, open up overseas markets while tapping into the domestic market, foster and attract the arrival of authorised economic operators, and strengthen the fiscal and financial system and the security of basic production factors.
According to the Action Plan for accelerating the construction of high-level innovation platforms in biomanufacturing released by the provincial government on 26 January, Guangdong aims to build three to five national-level innovation platforms for biomanufacturing by 2027. Efforts will be made to greatly increase the economic value of products such as innovative medicines, health foods, cosmetics, biological foods, biofuels and biological materials. The province will have over 10 enterprises with sales revenue of RMB10 billion and over 20 enterprises with sales revenue of about RMB5 billion. The total output value of the industry will reach about RMB500 billion. The Action Plan covers autonomous and efficient bacteria and enzymes, high-end instruments and reagents, supply security for biomanufacturing raw materials, the construction of innovation and commercialisation platforms, and system upgrades to libraries of biological information resources. It seeks to promote the integration of medicine, the chemical and food industries, agriculture, energy and environmental protection with biomanufacturing.
The European Commission (“Commission”) has requested feedback from any interested parties by 21 March 2025, with a view to a targeted evaluation of the two EU medical devices regulations: Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices (MDR) and Regulation (EU) 2017/746 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDR). Both were adopted in 2017. Hong Kong sellers of such products, which can include simple bandages for home use to portable or complex medical equipment such as oxymeters and x-ray devices, may wish to take part in this public consultation excercise.
