Congress wants to ban China’s largest genomics firm from doing business in the U.S. Here’s why.

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in Congress with the aim of effectively banning China’s largest genomics company from doing business in the United States. The move comes after years of warnings from intelligence officials about Beijing’s gathering of genetic information in ways that could potentially harm national security.

The bills specifically target BGI, also known as Beijing Genomics Institute, which was blacklisted by the Pentagon in 2021 as a Chinese military company. Additionally, five company affiliates have been sanctioned by the Commerce Department for improperly using genetic information against ethnic minorities in China.

In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Representative Mike Gallagher and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi stated that their legislation would prohibit BGI, as well as any other company using its technology, from obtaining federal contracts. This measure is intended to “drive BGI from the U.S. market,” according to a statement from the company.

BGI remains a major supplier of genetic sequencing equipment within the American market. Representative Gallagher emphasizes that allowing such market dominance is ill-advised and that the legislation aims to put a stop to it. Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Gary Peters and Bill Hagerty. With bipartisan and bicameral support, there is optimism that these bills will become law.

The proposed legislation aims to protect Americans’ personal health and genetic information from foreign adversaries who could potentially exploit it to undermine national security. BGI, on the other hand, argues that the legislation will restrict competition, increase healthcare costs, and limit access to technologies.

BGI asserts that it does not operate clinical laboratories, collect patient samples, and has no access to personal or genetic data. The company also claims it is not controlled by or linked to the Chinese government or military. However, Representative Krishnamoorthi believes that the evidence suggests otherwise. He points out that BGI has extensive collaboration with the People’s Liberation Army and has published research papers in conjunction with the PLA. This military-civil fusion, commonly seen in the People’s Republic of China, raises great concerns, especially when it involves the collection of data on Americans for research purposes with the PLA.

According to lobbying expenditure records, BGI and its subsidiaries spent $420,000 on lobbying in 2023. Additionally, an investigation by Reuters in 2021 revealed that BGI’s popular prenatal test, used by millions of pregnant women worldwide (excluding the U.S.), was developed in collaboration with the Chinese military and was being used to collect genetic data.

The U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center warned that Chinese biotech firms’ non-invasive prenatal testing kits serve an essential medical function but can also provide a mechanism for China and Chinese biotech companies to collect genetic and genomic data globally. This concern was further echoed in a bulletin by the counterintelligence center, which stated that China has been gaining access to U.S. healthcare data, including genomic data, through various channels, both legal and illegal. This collection poses serious risks to the privacy, economic, and national security of the U.S.

Bill Evanina, the former top counterintelligence official in the U.S. government, compares BGI to Huawei, a Chinese 5G telecom giant banned from the U.S. market due to spying risks. Evanina has long been raising the alarm about BGI and other Chinese companies collecting genetic data for intelligence purposes. The combination of genetic data with other personal data stolen by Chinese intelligence services presents multiple layers of risk. Economically, China could gain a significant advantage in the cutting-edge biotech industry. Moreover, there is concern that China could develop targeted bio-weapons that have an impact on specific groups of people.

The worries surrounding genetic information go beyond military capabilities. There are concerns that China, with its different approach to Western medical ethics, could utilize genetics to enhance human capabilities, including for military purposes. For instance, China conducted a study on the genetics of people living at high altitudes in the Himalayas to improve the capabilities of Chinese soldiers.

Another pressing concern is that genetic data could be used to target vulnerable Americans for espionage recruitment. The combination of personal and genetic information could provide adversaries with valuable leverage. U.S. spy agencies have collected evidence of China’s intent and capability regarding genetic material through covert means.

To secure personal data and protect national security, Congress is taking action against BGI and its operations in the United States. This proposed legislation represents a crucial step towards safeguarding Americans’ genetic information and maintaining control over its potential uses. For more information, refer to the source link.

F5 Magazine