In rude health: the rise of Chinese pharma

中国制药业崛起

Drum Tower

2025-10-08

29 分钟
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Western firms have long dominated the pharmaceutical industry. But as Donald Trump applies pressure on the market, could Chinese biotechs be catching up? Hosts: Jeremy Page, The Economist's chief China correspondent, and Shailesh Chitnis, our global business writer.  Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. 
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  • The Economist.

  • I mean historically China was behind, way behind.

  • It's gradually changing.

  • This is Wang Shingli.

  • And he's pretty excited about where his industry is heading.

  • If say US does not maintain its speed in science,

  • it probably will going to be behind when China's continue to support this kind of development.

  • But he's not talking about AI, or batteries, or even electric vehicles.

  • He's talking about medicines.

  • Western firms have long dominated the pharmaceutical industry.

  • Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, they're household names.

  • But now, Chinese pharma is catching up.

  • And with America's president hardly a friend to the industry.

  • We're going to get the drug prices down, not 30 or 40%.

  • No, we're going to get them down 1,000%, 600%, 500%.

  • Some of the world's biggest drug companies are looking to China,

  • not for the cheap generics they've been known for, but to develop new cures.

  • I'm Jeremy Page, The Economist's chief China correspondent,

  • and today I'm joined by our global business writer, Shailesh Chitnis, to ask,

  • are China's medicines about to take over the world?