When faced with a large, threatening, and sometimes invisible danger, you would think that people would take steps to protect themselves from that danger.
Indeed, there is nothing not to do.
But when faced with a similar danger in China, one that is massive, threatening, and sometimes seemingly undetectable, we seem to do little more than stare at the danger in front of us. .
The Intelligence and Security Committee warned against China’s “whole-of-nation” approach, which co-opts state institutions, businesses, and citizens that are difficult to detect but antithetical to our values. From setting up overseas police stations to stealing intellectual property from universities and industry, this is a multi-pronged attack on our security, prosperity and liberal democracy.
In response, the government said it had a “long way to go” towards a China strategy that is “forward-looking, collaborative and utilizes a ‘whole-of-government’ approach”. This is long overdue and China is taking advantage of it. Civitas research in November 2023 found that up to a third of Chinese funding, grants and donations to UK universities came from groups linked to the Chinese military, with 20 per cent of that coming from US It is from a sanctioned entity.
As the Director-General of MI5 recently warned, if you work at the cutting edge of technology today, you “may not be interested in geopolitics, but you certainly are interested in geopolitics.” China’s geopolitical and economic intentions are closely related and no secret. In fact, they openly announce it. The Made in China 2025 plan focuses on key areas such as AI, biotechnology, EVs, and pharmaceuticals, where the country aims to dominate the world. Last year, the heads of MI5 and the FBI insisted that their Chinese technology goals could not be achieved without illegal activity.
China’s “whole-of-nation” approach is most evident in the life science specialty field of genomics and related biotechnology. Genomics – the study of how human genes interact with each other – can map physical and mental characteristics and identify susceptibility to disease. As science uncovers new connections between DNA and human traits, access to genetic data across different populations provides countries with a strategic advantage.
That’s why China views genetic data as “new gold.” The technology also contains dual-use elements that could be used for nefarious purposes, potentially leading to genetically enhanced soldiers or engineered viruses. Reports indicate that the Chinese government is already making efforts.
BGI Group, China’s largest genomics company, and its main affiliate MGI Tech are Beijing’s “national champions” along with Huawei, Alibaba, Tencent and others. Although ostensibly legal, the Pentagon blacklisted BGI’s subsidiary as a Chinese military company and sanctioned it in 2021 and 2023 for an abusive genetic data collection program that enabled the oppression of ethnic minorities. . In 2021, the US National Security Council on AI warned that “BGI Group…may be serving as a global collection mechanism for the Chinese government.”
In contrast, BGI, which continues to sell controversial pregnancy tests to British mothers that a 2021 Reuters investigation found was developed with the Chinese military, will Through its awarding of public contracts and its subsidiaries and affiliates, MGI Tech has extensive connections across academia, providing technology, funding, and researchers.
The field of genomics is a pertinent case study where a “whole of government” strategy is needed.
The first step is to raise awareness of this issue outside and across government. The traditional concept of national security has been replaced by China’s public-private ambiguity. This is a suspicious approach in which each actor takes turns. Whitehall’s tendency to short-term thinking also prevents decision-makers from understanding the long-term impact that technology has on strategic advantage.
Whitehall’s inconsistent approach was best illustrated in this week’s meeting of foreign ministers at the Foreign Affairs Committee. When asked about BGI, the Science Secretary said he would “go away and consider it”, despite calling it a “danger point” for the UK’s technology and science sector during a Westminster Hall debate in March 2023. said.
Second, policymakers need to establish clear guardrails for public and private companies that engage with entities in sectors targeted by the Chinese government. The Government needs to step up its support for the world’s leading healthcare providers, from the NHS to large private healthcare companies with access to advanced technology, such as Bupa, HCA and AXA. This includes more transparency in security assessments and a clear explanation of why working with companies like BGI and MGI Tech poses a risk.
The government established a research collaboration advisory team to guide the academic community against hostile state actors. This is essentially a self-referral mechanism for cash-strapped universities facing lucrative research partnerships and grants. The scale of the infiltration of the entire academia by malicious entities could not be prevented. And you can’t blame universities for capitulating to China if the risks aren’t clearly articulated. Organizations should not be burdened with making complex security decisions.
Finally, a cooperative China strategy requires a reconfiguration of the state. Genomics spans multiple departments including DSIT, DHSC, FCDO, DBIT, DoE, Cabinet Office and Treasury. There is no commission or regulator with primary responsibility for scrutinizing how we address this multifaceted problem. Without a “whole-of-government” approach, companies with ties to the Chinese state will be caught in the middle.
Bob Seeley is the Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight and serves on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.