Forbes January 21, 2026
For years, public debate around U.S. dependence on China has focused on semiconductors, consumer electronics, rare earth minerals and industrial manufacturing. Far less attention has been paid to a quieter—but arguably more consequential shift taking place in the life sciences and biotech industry.
When you think about the major science hubs – Boston, San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego probably come to mind. But what about Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou? These are cities in China that have developed dense life-science clusters. And since the early 2000s, these cities have played a leading role in manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients and low-cost generic drugs for big pharma companies. In fact, Zhangjiang Science City, a region in Shanghai termed China’s...
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