From API China to the Global Pharmaceutical Chain: ECHEMI Is Reshaping the "New Speed" of Pharmaceutical Trade

On November 12, 2025, the 93rd API China was grandly opened in Chongqing. As a highly influential pharmaceutical industry event in the Asia-Pacific region, the exhibition lasted for three days (November 12-14), bringing together more than 1,200 exhibitors and nearly 30,000 professional visitors, covering APIs, excipients, packaging, equipment and other complete industrial chains. As a world-renowned B2B digital platform for cross-border chemicals, ECHEMI's WPO department and pharmaceutical division jointly participated in the exhibition at booth N7Q05. On the first day of the event, the ECHEMI booth attracted a large number of domestic and foreign merchants to stop and negotiate, and the atmosphere was high.

Global API market pattern and new compliance trends

The global pharmaceutical market is undergoing profound changes. The global API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) market was valued at approximately $238 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to approximately $405 billion in 2034, with an average annual growth rate of about 6%. The growth is driven by factors such as an aging population, an increase in chronic diseases, and rising medical demand in emerging markets. At the same time, the supply landscape is being reshaped: Asia, especially China and India, dominate API production, while European and American markets are driving reshoring and diversifying supply. China currently accounts for about 20% of the world's API production, with an annual production capacity of more than 2 million tons and more than 1,500 manufacturers (more than 500 of which are registered with the US FDA). With a 35-40% lower cost advantage and improved quality control, China has become an indispensable force in the global pharmaceutical supply chain.

In terms of compliance, global regulations are becoming increasingly stringent, and quality and safety have become the focus of attention in various countries. Europe's strengthening of GMP certification requirements and the United States' Supply Chain Security Act are raising the threshold for market entry. Chinese companies are also actively following this trend - the State Food and Drug Administration (formerly CFDA) has implemented new regulations such as API factory registration and new excipient supervision, and established a Chinese DMF filing system to strengthen source quality management. As of the first quarter of 2024, Chinese companies have registered 3,539 documents under the U.S. DMF, accounting for about 13.4% of the total U.S. DMF. At the same time, China holds about 18% of the world's EU CEP certificates. These data indicate that China's API production is accelerating towards standardization and internationalization. In addition, green environmental protection and sustainable production are also important trends, and China has strengthened environmental enforcement in recent years, forcing the integration and upgrading of the API industry, and paying more attention to environmental compliance and high value-added product development.

It is worth mentioning that this year's API China exhibition held a number of high-end forums at the same time, including the International Pharmaceutical Excipients Conference, focusing on industry hotspots such as GMP specifications and regulatory reforms. This fully reflects the great importance that the pharmaceutical industry attaches to regulatory compliance and quality improvement today. Driven by the growth of global market demand and regulatory upgrades, pharmaceutical companies must balance scale and quality to win international trust through compliance.

ECHEMI Digital Platform: Empowering cross-border chemical trade

As a professional cross-border chemical B2B digital platform, ECHEMI connects global buyers and suppliers through digital means, providing efficient and convenient solutions for international trade in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Hong Kong, China, the platform has built a full-process service system covering raw material supply, market analysis, logistics and warehousing to online transactions after more than ten years of development. ECHEMI is committed to helping global buyers quickly analyze the market, purchase high-quality chemical and pharmaceutical products, assist suppliers in promoting advantageous products, and expand overseas business opportunities. Currently, there are 120,000+ global buyer users and 23,000+ high-quality suppliers active on the platform, more than 1 million pieces of product information have been released, covering more than 200 classification fields such as fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food additives, coatings, etc. The platform generates 11,500+ purchase inquiries every month, demonstrating vigorous transaction demand and business opportunities. ECHEMI also provides a wealth of industry intelligence services, including weekly price analysis and market reports for 500 raw materials, as well as big data support for customs import and export trade covering 218 countries and regions, helping enterprises gain insight into market trends and accurately connect with customers.

With the help of powerful digital technology and data resources, ECHEMI has created a one-stop international chemical trade platform. functions such as online matching procurement and one-click multi-inquiry allow buyers to "get multiple quotations by sending one demand", greatly improving procurement efficiency; Suppliers can open online stores for free, obtain real-time inquiries and connect with real buyers, and achieve digital marketing that reduces costs and increases efficiency. ECHEMI has established overseas warehouses and logistics centers in Europe and China, with visual supply chain management, to provide customers with safe and efficient warehousing and distribution services. With comprehensive product supply, timely market information and perfect supporting services, ECHEMI is known as the "innovator of digital trade in the global chemical industry" by the industry. In July this year, ECHEMI was successfully selected into the list of the top 50 global chemical distributors released by ICIS, demonstrating its important position in the international chemical supply chain.

ECHEMI Pharmaceutical Business: Deeply cultivate the API field and practice quality commitment

At the exhibition site, ECHEMI highlighted the strength and achievements of its pharmaceutical division (ECHEMI Pharma). The Pharmaceutical Division is a new field expanded by ECHEMI based on more than 10 years of accumulation in the chemical industry, adhering to the concept of "quality, responsibility, and conscience", and is determined to continue its enthusiasm for the chemical industry to the pharmaceutical and health industry. ECHEMI understands that every aspect of pharmaceuticals is related to human health and well-being, and the quality of source products such as APIs, intermediates, and excipients is crucial. Therefore, the ECHEMI pharmaceutical team always puts quality control first, and strictly selects partners with a sense of awe for the industry. All suppliers in the pharmaceutical sector have undergone qualification audits and on-site due diligence to ensure that they meet GMP and other relevant certification requirements. At the same time, ECHEMI requires suppliers to provide complete registration documents and inspection reports to ensure that product quality is traceable and meets the regulatory standards of the target market.

Professional Team Advantages: ECHEMI's pharmaceutical department brings together a group of professionals who have been deeply involved in the pharmaceutical field for more than 15 years, covering functions such as registration regulations, quality control, supply chain, technical support, and international logistics. With rich industry experience and familiarity with regulatory requirements in various countries, this team can provide customers with tailored compliance services, assist Chinese API manufacturers in successfully coping with certification registrations in Europe and the United States, and also select reliable Chinese raw material suppliers for overseas formulation manufacturers. At the same time, ECHEMI's pharmaceutical sector has established strategic cooperation with hundreds of powerful factories, covering human APIs, veterinary APIs, pharmaceutical intermediates, pharmaceutical excipients, agricultural and veterinary drugs, and vitaminsand many other categories. Popular products such as peptide APIs such as Semaglutide and Liraglutide in the hypoglycemic field, innovative small molecules such as Baricitinib and Upadacitinib in the anti-inflammatory field, and various preparation excipients (lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, etc.) are among the top sellers on the platform. For new molecules and complex compounds that are not yet fully available on the market, ECHEMI also provides customized synthesis services, working with factories with R&D capabilities to meet customers' special needs. It is precisely with the unremitting pursuit of quality and continuous exploration of cutting-edge fields that ECHEMI Pharmaceutical business has established a reliable and innovative brand image in the industry and contributed to the cause of human health.

Direct hit at the exhibition site: international media focused, buyers and sellers are enthusiastic

 At the API China in Chongqing, the ECHEMI booth became one of the popular focuses in the venue. Approaching the N7Q05 booth, buyers and suppliers from all over the world can be seen communicating with the ECHEMI team: representatives of overseas pharmaceutical companies registered platform accounts on the spot to find high-quality Chinese raw materials; There are also domestic manufacturers who inquire about ECHEMI's overseas promotion services in detail, hoping to use the platform to expand emerging markets such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia. ECHEMI staff patiently demonstrated the operation of the platform and shared successful cases, and many viewers showed strong interest in the "one-stop digital procurement" model provided by the platform. In just one day, many interested customers have left their contact information and look forward to in-depth cooperation in the future. A customer from Europe sighed: "Through the ECHEMI platform, we can directly connect with trusted Chinese API manufacturers, which is very helpful for us to develop new products!"  

It is worth noting that at this year's API China Chongqing Exhibition, ECHEMI specially invited ten overseas authoritative media to participate in the exhibition and exchange, so that more international voices can participate in the display and dialogue of China's pharmaceutical industry. MedEdge MEA from the Middle East, BioSpectrum Asia from Singapore, and Ingredients South Asia from India and other international media representatives took the lead in attending the scene, and they had an in-depth understanding of the grand occasion of the exhibition and the latest trends in China's pharmaceutical supply chain through lenses and perspectives.

On the first day of the exhibition, several overseas media visited the main exhibition hall and key booths, showing strong interest in China's pharmaceutical manufacturing, API export, and the development of digital trade platforms. They stopped in front of the ECHEMI booth to take a closer look at how the platform digitally connects Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturers with global buyers. During the exhibition, ECHEMI staff also introduced the core functions of the platform to media representatives in detail, including market data services, overseas buyer matching systems, and compliance traceability systems for pharmaceutical raw materials. These professional introductions have made the international media deeply feel that China's pharmaceutical supply chain is moving from "manufacturing-oriented" to "service-oriented", and ECHEMI is one of the promoters of this change.

The visit and participation of these overseas media not only expanded the international influence of the exhibition, but also demonstrated the unique value of ECHEMI as a bridge between global pharmaceutical information and trade. The relevant person in charge of ECHEMI said: "We hope that through the perspective of international media, the world can see the professionalism and vitality of China's pharmaceutical industry, and more overseas buyers and partners can understand ECHEMI's platform advantages and industry ecology. ”

In the future, with the in-depth development of API China exhibition, ECHEMI will communicate and connect with more industry partners in the next activities to share new ideas and opportunities in digital trade. This exhibition trip is not only a concentrated display of ECHEMI's brand and services, but also an excellent opportunity to seek common development with colleagues in the global pharmaceutical industry. Standing at the forefront of the transformation and innovation of the pharmaceutical industry, ECHEMI will continue to give full play to its own advantages and link buyers and suppliers. Promote efficient collaboration and upgrading of the global pharmaceutical supply chain to create greater value for the industry. As the exhibition sends a signal - in the era of digital economy, open cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results will be the main theme of the development of the pharmaceutical industry, and ECHEMI has undoubtedly stood at the forefront of this trend.