China Accuses Foreign Groups of Targeting Genetic Data

(MENAFN) China's intelligence apparatus has accused unidentified international organizations of attempting to acquire the nation's biological specimens and genetic information by masquerading operations as scholarly collaborations and charitable initiatives, state media reported Tuesday.

The Ministry of State Security alleges certain overseas entities have enticed Chinese research facilities with financial incentives and laboratory equipment to transfer unauthorized biological materials or illicitly transport them through smuggling operations and fraudulent customs documentation, according to media.

"Yet if human genetic data, rare biological resources, or core research data are lost, it would expose the foundational assets of the biotechnology sector and could be exploited by hostile foreign forces, creating serious risks to national security in the biological domain," the ministry added.

The agency further cautioned that adversarial exploitation of such samples for manufacturing biological weapons or ethnicity-specific pharmaceuticals would directly endanger public welfare and sovereign security.

While the ministry acknowledged biotechnology partnerships across borders can accelerate scientific advancement, it emphasized unregulated data transfers jeopardize critical research infrastructure.

Widespread breaches of population-level genetic records could empower hostile entities to chart health weaknesses and population demographics, officials noted.

The security ministry additionally flagged concerns regarding foreign-manufactured gene-sequencing machinery, analytical software, and cloud computing systems, cautioning that concealed "backdoors" might facilitate unauthorized data extraction.

Citing China's biosecurity legislation, the ministry demanded rigorous adherence to protocols and urged scientists and citizens to maintain awareness and flag questionable conduct.

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