China's pharmaceutical exports reached $30.91 billion in the first half of the year
China's pharmaceutical exports reached $30.91 billion in the first half of the year. Innovation in pharmaceuticals is not just an economic indicator but a matter of life and health for millions. When a country begins to produce medicines that are world firsts, it signals that its science and industry have reached a new level. China's pharmaceutical sector in the first half of 2026 demonstrated not only quantitative growth but also qualitative breakthroughs that are reshaping the global landscape of the industry.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Monday reported a significant increase in innovation capacity and steady growth in the country's pharmaceutical industry in the first half of 2026. "In the first half of this year, 38 innovative drugs received marketing approval, of which 31, or more than 80 percent, were domestically developed. There has been a wave of high‑quality breakthroughs, including several world‑first drugs, such as the world's first CAR‑T therapy for solid tumours, the world's first bispecific antibody against rabies, and the world's first invasive brain‑computer interface device," said Tao Qing, head of the operations, monitoring and coordination department at MIIT, at a press conference in Beijing. Despite a complex and challenging external environment and growing pressure from industry transformation, China's pharmaceutical industry remained resilient, Tao added. "The volume of licensing deals for innovative drugs in China also reached a new high, with the total transaction value in the first six months exceeding $100 billion, fully demonstrating a systemic leap in the quality of Chinese pharmaceutical innovation," the official said. From January to June, the value‑added output of major pharmaceutical companies grew 6.4% year‑on‑year, with double‑digit growth in the biopharmaceutical sector. The industry's export value in the first six months exceeded 210 billion yuan (about $30.91 billion), up 9% from a year earlier. High‑value‑added products, including finished chemical formulations and biopharmaceuticals, accounted for nearly one‑fifth of total exports, indicating an accelerating shift in the export structure from active pharmaceutical ingredients to finished pharmaceutical products.
Meanwhile, digital and green technologies are driving the transformation and upgrading of the industry. The ministry has supported 21 pharmaceutical companies in building advanced smart factories and has so far facilitated the development of more than 300 green enterprises. Going forward, the ministry said it would accelerate the implementation of the 15th Five‑Year Plan for the pharmaceutical industry, strengthen the supply of drugs for key population groups, including the elderly, children and patients with rare diseases, and more quickly provide patients around the world with a greater number of high‑quality domestically produced medicines.
China's pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest in the world. In recent years, the country has actively invested in research and development, leading to the creation of a number of innovative drugs and technologies. Successes in biopharmaceuticals, immunotherapy and neurotechnology confirm China's course towards technological independence and global competitiveness. As CCTV+ reports. Further industry development is expected to focus on personalised medicine, biotechnology and digitalisation of production, which will allow China to strengthen its position in the global pharmaceutical market.
