China's Take on Biosecurity: A Report on China’s View, Institutions, Processes, and Technology

Abstract

China emerged as one of the world's strongest economies decades ago, and in recent years, it has become a global leader in biotechnology research. With an increasing focus on biotechnology research and development (R&D), it is crucial to understand how China governs this field, given the potential risks associated with it. This report studies the concept of biosecurity in China and its current biosecurity landscape, which includes Institutions, Processes, and Technology. The analysis of China's biosecurity landscape reveals several areas of improvement, including the need to increase awareness and research programmes around global catastrophic biological risks (GCBR), and to better manage conflicts of interest in a multi-ministry biosecurity task force. Additionally, China needs to consider the risks of emerging technologies and prioritise their biosecurity implications. While China is actively building its biosecurity technological capacities, most programmes are still in the early stages of development. Lastly, the report suggests potential research questions that will help us better understand biosecurity in China and promote future research collaborations.

Keywords: biosecurity, biotechnology, governance, processes, technology, China