Pudong Airport bonded zone emerges as global pharma supply chain hub​

​A cargo truck enters the Shanghai Pudong Airport Free Trade Zone. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

The bonded zone of the Shanghai Pudong International Airport is accelerating its push to become a core hub for the global pharmaceutical supply chain.

Through a coordinated mechanism involving the zone’s administration, customs, and development entities, the bonded zone has strengthened policy support, providing robust backing for medical enterprises entering the Chinese market.

Shanghai’s drive to internationalize its biopharmaceutical industry has attracted a concentration of global innovation resources.

Notably, 90 percent of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical and medical device companies have established China headquarters or research and development centers in the city.

As a strategic fulcrum, the bonded area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone handles over 40 percent of China's imported medical devices and nearly 30 percent of drug imports.

Additionally, the efficiency measures accelerate time-to-market for innovative drugs and devices, transforming supply chains into competitive assets.

With the ongoing development of the Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone and enhanced rail connections, the bonded zone aims to integrate air-rail capabilities, further strengthening its position as a global pharmaceutical logistics hub.