We must protect our genetic data from Chinese scientists, who could use it for targeted bioweapons.
Three years ago, I and several other people and organisations were sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This included seven parliamentarians along with other politicians in Europe, who were sanctioned for calling out the risk China poses to the UK.
In the years that have followed, the UK has become more dependent on China economically, despite the well-known fact that China has constantly broken the WTO rules in subsidising Chinese companies and uses slave labour to produce goods that undercut Western manufacturers. Yet we in the UK are becoming hugely vulnerable to an even bigger threat, one born out of advancements in biotechnology which is now being coupled with artificial intelligence (AI) in China.
Like other advanced technologies, genomics, when used legitimately, can help create new drugs to fight diseases like cancer. However, its dual-use potential means it can also be used to create targeted bioweapons or pathogens. Indeed, worryingly, the CCP has already used genomic data to profile ethnic minorities whilst using human embryos for performance modification.
The United States has now woken up to this threat, and recently introduced landmark legislation hampering the ability of foreign adversaries to collect the genomic data of US citizens. The bill, supported by Republicans and Democrats alike, prohibits Chinese genomics giants, such as BGI Group and MGI Tech, from accessing federal contracts.
Yet again, the UK’s position in this debate is a mess. Last year, the Government admitted BGI was a “danger point” in the UK’s science and technology ecosystem, yet it continues to allow BGI access to our genomics sector. The Government’s refusal to confront BGI and MGI, echoing the weakness it showed over Huawei and Hikvision, risks repeating previous mistakes if we fail to appreciate the severity of the challenge.
Genomics is a $4 trillion industry, and strategic for the UK’s prosperity. Allowing Chinese companies access undermines our security and our world-leading life sciences sector, which cannot compete on price with companies subsidised by the Chinese state.
Whilst BGI Group claims to be a private company, it nonetheless operates the Chinese government’s key laboratories and national genebank. BGI is blacklisted by the Pentagon as a “Chinese military company” and has collaborated with the People’s Liberation Army to develop pre-natal tests sold across the world and from which gene data is returned to China.
The US National Security Commission on AI has now concluded that BGI Group was acting as a DNA collection vehicle for the Chinese state. Astonishingly, our Government still hasn’t classified genomics as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), leaving UK citizens and businesses exposed.
If large UK private healthcare providers like Bupa or Oxford Nanopore work with BGI or MGI, this will seriously undermine attempts to protect UK citizens.
The Government’s language of “de-risking” on China is pointless without stronger guidance to private sector and research bodies that long-term costs to national and economic security outweigh the short-term gains of using cheaper Chinese firms. Worse, public contractors, such as Eurofins, already work with Chinese genomics companies like MGI, while still having access to sensitive contracts with the Ministry of Defence, National Crime Agency and Porton Down.
Too often, we have been left behind in recognising and acting on the threat China poses. The Government must show it can be trusted to make difficult decisions on national security questions.