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Find out how hackers play a role in the genetic game.
In April 2020, when most of Europe was under quarantine, a plane arrived in the Serbian capital Belgrade with a gift from China. On board was a mobile laboratory Fire-Eye-an invention of China, which allows you to detect the coronavirus by genetic fragments.
However, as the Serbs soon found out, this was not the only feature of Fire-Eye. The lab was also able to decipher the genetic code of not only viruses, but also people. In late 2021, despite the ongoing pandemic, Serbia announced plans to turn the lab into a permanent center for collecting and analyzing the genomes of Serbian citizens.
During the pandemic, Fire-Eye labs quickly spread around the world - China either donated or sold them to more than 20 countries on 4 continents. Several of them, including the Serbian one, are now operating as permanent centers for genetic research.
According to Western intelligence agencies, China's generosity is part of a global campaign to collect valuable human genetic data. Efforts to collect them last for more than 10 years and include the purchase of American genetic companies and hacker attacks. The coronavirus pandemic has given China the opportunity to expand its laboratories and build partnerships in countries where Beijing previously had limited access.
A representative of the Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the accusations of illegal collection of genetic data. According to him, Fire-Eye laboratories have helped many countries in the fight against the pandemic and continue to play an important role in cancer testing. BGI, the manufacturer of Fire-Eye, also said that it does not have access to data from the Serbian laboratory.
However, BGI was chosen by Beijing to create the National Genetic Bank of China, which receives data from millions of people around the world. In 2021, US intelligence agencies named BGI as part of a Chinese campaign to collect human DNA, including in the US.
According to Anna Puglisi, a former US intelligence official, China sees genetic data as the key to economic and strategic dominance. "Whoever is the first to comprehend the possibilities of genetics will gain enormous power," Puglisi said. While there is no evidence yet of China using foreign DNA for non-scientific purposes, Beijing's actions raise concerns in the West.
In April 2020, when most of Europe was under quarantine, a plane arrived in the Serbian capital Belgrade with a gift from China. On board was a mobile laboratory Fire-Eye-an invention of China, which allows you to detect the coronavirus by genetic fragments.
However, as the Serbs soon found out, this was not the only feature of Fire-Eye. The lab was also able to decipher the genetic code of not only viruses, but also people. In late 2021, despite the ongoing pandemic, Serbia announced plans to turn the lab into a permanent center for collecting and analyzing the genomes of Serbian citizens.
During the pandemic, Fire-Eye labs quickly spread around the world - China either donated or sold them to more than 20 countries on 4 continents. Several of them, including the Serbian one, are now operating as permanent centers for genetic research.
According to Western intelligence agencies, China's generosity is part of a global campaign to collect valuable human genetic data. Efforts to collect them last for more than 10 years and include the purchase of American genetic companies and hacker attacks. The coronavirus pandemic has given China the opportunity to expand its laboratories and build partnerships in countries where Beijing previously had limited access.
A representative of the Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the accusations of illegal collection of genetic data. According to him, Fire-Eye laboratories have helped many countries in the fight against the pandemic and continue to play an important role in cancer testing. BGI, the manufacturer of Fire-Eye, also said that it does not have access to data from the Serbian laboratory.
However, BGI was chosen by Beijing to create the National Genetic Bank of China, which receives data from millions of people around the world. In 2021, US intelligence agencies named BGI as part of a Chinese campaign to collect human DNA, including in the US.
According to Anna Puglisi, a former US intelligence official, China sees genetic data as the key to economic and strategic dominance. "Whoever is the first to comprehend the possibilities of genetics will gain enormous power," Puglisi said. While there is no evidence yet of China using foreign DNA for non-scientific purposes, Beijing's actions raise concerns in the West.
