A new survey by the US-China Business Council reveals that 95% of US companies consider China important for global competitiveness, despite decoupling rhetoric. For medical aesthetics buyers and distributors, this signals continued access to China’s manufacturing scale, innovation hubs, and resilient supply chains—key for devices, injectables, and packaging sourcing.
Survey highlights
95% of US firms view China as somewhat to very important for staying globally competitive. The council stated, “For US companies, China is not optional.” Almost half of US companies apply experience from China operations to other markets, and China is described as a “boxing gym” that hones Western firms’ skills.
Policy and trade signals
Last month, the US and China agreed to establish trade and investment councils to resolve disputes before escalation. They have agreed in principle to lower tariffs on products of equivalent scale worth $30 billion or more on each side. This could reduce costs for cross-border medical aesthetics trade.
Supply-chain resilience
At the China International Supply Chain Expo, US companies rank first among foreign exhibitors for the fourth consecutive year. 3M China, for example, now manufactures over 50% of its products sold in China locally and plans over 30% growth in new product launches in 2026, outpacing other global markets.
What buyers should watch
US-China relations, China’s economy, and entrenched tariffs remain top challenges. However, the survey shows US businesses are “not leaving China.” For aesthetic device and consumable buyers, this means stable OEM/ODM capacity and innovation pipelines, but tariff and policy risks require close monitoring.
Sourcing context
China’s role as a multifaceted source of global competitiveness—spanning R&D, testing, and manufacturing—benefits medical aesthetics supply chains. Companies like 3M are accelerating local value chains, which can shorten lead times and improve customization for clinic buyers.
Source: Read the original report | Published: June 13, 2026