According to customs statistics, from January to September 2009, the total import and export volume of medical device products reached 12.853 billion US dollars, an increase of 9.1% year-on-year, and a decrease of 26.26% compared to the same period last year (35.36%). The import and export of medical devices accounted for 33.66% of the total import and export of pharmaceutical and healthcare products during the same period, with an import amount of 4.382 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 16.35%; The export amount was 8.471 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 5.69%. The trade surplus was 4.09 billion US dollars, a decrease of 3.74% compared to the same period last year (4.249 billion US dollars).
The import price of some diagnostic equipment has decreased
From the import situation, 64.34% of China's imported medical device products in the first to third quarters came from the United States, Germany, and Japan. Among them, the amount of imported products from the United States reached 1.332 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 23.5%, and the market share reached 30.39%. The main imported products are "other devices for compensating physiological defects and disabilities", "color ultrasound diagnostic equipment", and "catheters and catheters"; The amount of imported products from Germany reached 754 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 7.67%. The main imported products are large-scale imaging equipment such as "X-ray equipment" and "magnetic resonance imaging devices"; The amount of imported products from Japan reached 733 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 16.94%. The main imported products are "X-ray tomography", "color ultrasound diagnostic equipment", and "endoscope".
The top five imported products are "other medical, surgical, or veterinary X-ray application equipment", "color ultrasound diagnostic equipment", "other medical, surgical, or veterinary instruments and tools", "other devices for compensating physiological defects, disabilities, wearing or implanting into the human body", and "other needles, catheters, catheters, and similar products". Compared by price, the import prices of some products such as magnetic resonance imaging devices, patient monitors, endoscopes, and kidney dialysis equipment have all decreased to varying degrees year-on-year.
According to the statistics of import amount, the top five enterprises are Shanghai Dongsong International Trade Co., Ltd., Medtronic Medical Products Technical Services (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Sankai Import and Export Co., Ltd., Shanghai Shenjun Import and Export Co., Ltd. and China Medical Devices Technical Services Co., Ltd.

First drop in exports to Europe
In the first to third quarters of this year, the export of medical devices increased by 5.69% year-on-year, a decrease of 27.29% compared to the same period last year (32.98%). The weak external demand caused by the financial crisis is the main reason for the slowdown in export growth, with products with relatively high demand elasticity being the most affected. For example, the export of health and rehabilitation products has significantly decreased, with a year-on-year decrease of 7.52%, which has lowered the overall export growth rate.
The pattern of China's medical device export market remains stable, showing the following characteristics: First, the three major Wet market of the United States, Japan and Germany still account for half of medical device exports, with the export amount to the three major markets being 2.337 billion, 1.063 billion and 551 million US dollars, up 5.89%, 27.94% and 1.38% respectively, accounting for 46.65% accumulatively; Secondly, the ASEAN market is worth paying attention to, with the highest growth rate of exports to the ASEAN region, reaching 13.43%; The third is the first decline in exports to Europe, with an export value of 2.369 billion US dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 1.66%, reversing the nearly 40% annual growth rate maintained since 2004.
According to product statistics, during the first to third quarters, the main export products of medical devices were still medical dressings, consumables, and massagers. Among them, the export value of massage equipment reached 645 million US dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 18.37%; The export value of cotton, gauze, and bandages reached 451 million US dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 12.64%; The export value of other needles, catheters, catheters, and similar products was 446 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 8.97%. Affected by the weakening demand of major markets in Europe and the United States, the export of China's traditional competitive products showed a downward trend. For example, the export volume of massage appliances, cotton gauze, Sphygmomanometer, and adhesive dressings decreased by 18.37%, 12.64%, 13.36%, and 22.86% year on year, respectively. Relevant export enterprises also reported that the export situation was severe this year, and customer orders decreased. Many orders changed from long orders to short orders, and large orders to small orders. It is worth noting that the continuation of the financial crisis has led to the rise of trade protectionism. China's syringe products have faced safeguard measures and anti-dumping investigations from Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, and Argentina. The future export situation is tightening, and domestic enterprises are urged to abandon the strategy of occupying the market at low prices to avoid catching fire.
The main export entities of medical devices are foreign-funded and private enterprises, with the export value of these two types of enterprises accounting for 87.41%. Multinational giants such as GE, Siemens, and Philips, based in joint ventures and sole proprietorships established in China, supply high-end products such as CT and X-ray machines to the Chinese and global markets, and continue to become the main force in the export of hospital diagnostic and treatment equipment. The main products exported by private medical device enterprises are medical dressings and health rehabilitation products, accounting for 64.31% of the total exports of private medical device enterprises. However, due to the large number and small scale of export enterprises, competition between enterprises is relatively fierce.
The situation is expected to improve in the fourth quarter
It is expected that the import and export situation of medical devices in China will improve in the fourth quarter of this year. One is the slow recovery of the international economic situation, with commodity prices