China said on Sunday it had seized some 89 million non-compliant masks during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the country strives to allay fears about the quality of the medical equipment exported.
Since its appearance in December in China, the virus has infected nearly 3 million people worldwide and has killed more than 200,000 people. And demand for protective equipment has skyrocketed from the Asian giant, which is the world's leading supplier.
Several countries complain about the quality of the masks
In recent weeks, several European countries such as Spain, the Netherlands and Finland have complained about the masks they have received from China, judging that they were not up to standard.
As of Friday, more than 89 million masks deemed non-compliant have been seized as well as 418,000 pieces of protective equipment, said at a press conference an official of the administration of market supervision, Gan Lin . The proportion of products confiscated and intended for export has not been specified.
Over a billion masks exported by China
According to Gan Lin, disinfectants that did not meet standards were also seized. The value of the goods was estimated at 7.6 million yuan (nearly one million euros). Beijing tightened regulations for the export of coronavirus-related medical equipment earlier this month to demand that the products meet both Chinese and recipient country standards.
Since Saturday, this measure also applies to non-medical masks, according to a press release from the Ministry of Commerce. In recent weeks, some countries have complained about the quality of medical equipment imported from China.
As of Friday, China has exported more than a billion masks to 74 countries and regions, Commerce Minister Li Xingqian told reporters.
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