New export restrictions put in place by China have left face masks, test kits and other critical medical equipment intended to be shipped to the U.S. stuck in China, The Wall Street Journal reported.
China instituted policies in April that Chinese officials have said are intended to ensure that supplies it needs are not being exported and that its exports are of good quality.
As a result, large quantities of critical protective gear and other medical supplies are sitting in Chinese warehouses, unable to receive clearance to be sent to the U.S., the Journal reported.
PerkinElmer, a Massachusetts-based diagnostics company, is unable to ship 1.4 million COVID-19 test kits from its factory in Suzhou because it lacks certification required by the new rules, according to a State Department memo obtained by the Journal.
Illinois Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell, who oversees procurement for the state, told the Journal that at least one vendor has told him to expect delays of six to 10 for a shipment from China because of the new policies.
The U.S. has set up a task force of diplomats in China to help U.S. companies, states and the federal government procure and ship medical supplies to the U.S., according to the Journal.
Read the full article here.