China announced on Tuesday a ban on imports of genetic sequencers from US medical equipment maker Illumina, shortly after US President Donald Trump’s additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods took effect. The ban is part of a series of measures China introduced in response to the new US tariffs and follows Beijing’s decision to place Illumina on its unreliable entity list in February.
China accounts for approximately 7% of Illumina’s sales. Gene sequencers are crucial for determining the sequence of DNA or RNA, enabling scientists to study genetic variations associated with diseases and diagnose rare genetic conditions. The ban takes effect from March 4.
China’s commerce ministry stated that Illumina had suspended normal transactions with Chinese enterprises and taken discriminatory measures against them. In February, China also added PVH Corp, the holding company for brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, to its unreliable entity list and announced an investigation into Google as part of broader measures targeting US businesses. Companies on the list may face fines, trade freezes, and revocation of work permits for foreign staff.