Authors: Peter Brookes and Dustin Carmack
Summary
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has one of the world’s most advanced life sciences R&D enterprises. Beijing is clearly driven to become the world’s biotechnology leader for a variety of reasons, including national security purposes. Beijing’s national “military-civilian fusion” policy means that work in the life sciences for peaceful civilian ends could support belligerent military, intelligence, and other national security applications and policies. The PRC’s dual-use ambitions in the life sciences will have consequences for U.S. national interests. Considering the PRC’s prodigious geopolitical aspirations, unprecedented military build-up, and revisionist vision of global politics, Beijing’s potential use of the life sciences, especially biotechnology, requires significant action from U.S. policymakers.
Key Takeaways
China is engaged in national security–related work in the life sciences, including biotechnology and possible dual use of international genomic data.
The U.S. is rightfully concerned about Beijing’s compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention, including the existence of an offensive bioweapons program.
Washington must take action to thwart efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to further develop life science capabilities with national security implications.
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