The U.S. attempt to sever global industrial and supply chains is "unrealistic and insensible," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a news briefing Tuesday.
A U.S. official said Monday that the White House is preparing a presidential executive order designed to bring medical supply chains from countries such as China back to the United States to cut its dependency on foreign medicines.
Geng said the era of globalization means deeply integrated interests and highly intertwined industrial and supply chains, adding that the formation and development of global industrial and supply chains are the result of market forces and companies' choices.
It is unrealistic and insensible to try to sever global industrial and supply chains or even trumpet "shifting" or "decoupling" theories, Geng said.
Instead of solving the United States' own problems, such words will only hurt the American people more, Geng said.
As the world's largest producer of protective suits and medical masks, China occupies an important position in the global supply chains of medical and epidemic prevention materials, Geng said.
"China's epidemic prevention and control situation is trending in a positive direction, the recovery of economic and social development is being expedited and the production capacity of medical and epidemic prevention materials is rapidly recovering and improving," he said.
"This not only provides support and guarantees for the safe and stable operation of the global industrial and supply chain of medical and epidemic prevention materials, but also provides assistance for the global fight against COVID-19," he added.
Geng said China encourages and supports manufacturers of medical equipment, drugs and protective equipment to expand production to match foreign commercial procurement needs while ensuring domestic demand.
