AsianFin -- China has announced a ban on imports of gene sequencers from U.S. medical equipment maker Illumina on Tuesday, just minutes after the additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect.
This ban is part of a broader response to the U.S. tariffs and follows Beijing’s decision to place Illumina on its "unreliable entity" list in February.
Illumina’s gene sequencers, which play a vital role in determining DNA or RNA sequences to study genetic variations linked to diseases and diagnose rare genetic conditions, are significant to the company’s business. China represents approximately 7% of Illumina’s sales.
The ban, effective from March 4, was announced by China’s commerce ministry, which stated that Illumina had suspended normal transactions with Chinese enterprises and engaged in discriminatory actions. Illumina is currently evaluating the situation to understand the potential impact on its operations in China.
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