The ongoing pandemic has brought America’s dependence on China for medical supplies into the spotlight.
According to a recent congressional report(pdf), 30 percent of personal protective equipment imported to the United States last year came from China. Similarly, 80 percent of the basic components used in U.S. drugs mostly come from China and India. But 80 percent of the key ingredients for India’s generic drug manufacturers are also sourced from China(pdf).
So how did we become so reliant on China? Many would argue letting it into the WTO was an important turning point. And China couldn’t have done it without the U.S.’s backing.