--- title: "China's bumper DNA harvest" description: "CBRNe World provides those tasked with defending against CBRN and IED threats with the essential practical, scientific and political information. Access the current and previous issues of the magazine by registering as a member." url: "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers/china-s-dna-bumper-harvest" date: "2026-07-30T21:09:37+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # China's bumper DNA harvest Written by Gwyn Winfield on 15 March 2021. We interviewed the FBI's Ed You way back in [2017 ](https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https://cbrneworld.com/component/edocman/ed-you/fdocument?Itemid=9999)and he presciently warned about China's appetite for harvesting DNA data. This is now happening on an unprecedented scale, and while it is difficult to know what they want to use it for, the fact that they are collecting it can't be ignored. Below are some of the recent news stories on this. **Genomic surveillance: inside China’s DNA [dragnet](https://www.aspi.org.au/report/genomic-surveillance). James Leibold and Emile Dirks, ASPI. 17 June 2020. Also a [summary](https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/genomic-surveillance-inside-chinas-dna-dragnet/)** **China Is Collecting DNA From Tens of Millions of Men and Boys, Using U.S. [Equipment](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/world/asia/China-DNA-surveillance.html). Sui-Lee Wee. NYT, June 17, 2020. China’s Biosecurity State in Xinjiang Is Powered by Western [Tech](https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/02/19/china-xinjiang-surveillance-biosecurity-state-dna-western-tech/). Jessica Batke, Mareike Ohlberg. Foreign Policy, February 19, 2020. China Is Harvesting the DNA of Its People. Is This the Future of [Policing](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/24/opinion/china-dna-police.html)? Emile Dirks and James Leibold. NYT, July 24, 2020. Post #267: In China, Your DNA Belongs to the [State](https://melgurtov.com/2020/07/07/post-267-in-china-your-dna-belongs-to-the-state/). Mel Gurtov. 7 July 2020. \[Danish\] DNA fra undertrykt folkeslag i Kina brugt i dansk [forskning](https://jyllands-posten.dk/indland/ECE12247750/dna-fra-undertrykt-folkeslag-i-kina-brugt-i-dansk-forskning/). Matias Seidelin, Mads Bonde Broberg, Jyllands-Posten. 26.06.2020 & DNA fra undertrykt [folkeslag ](https://www.nb-okonomi.dk/2020/06/26/dna-fra-undertrykt-folkeslag-i-kina-brugt-i-dansk-forskning/) Ritzau Police Collect Children’s Blood Without Parents’ [Consent](https://bitterwinter.org/police-collect-childrens-blood-without-parents-consent/). Lu Xiaojing. Bitter Winter, 01/02/2020. China: DNA Phenotyping Profiles Racial [Minorities](https://mindmatters.ai/2019/12/china-dna-phenotyping-profiles-racial-minorities/). Heather Zeiger, Mind Matters, December 26, 2019. China Uses DNA to Map Faces, With Help From the [West](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/business/china-dna-uighurs-xinjiang.html). Sui-Lee Wee and Paul Mozur. NYT, Dec. 3, 2019 Crack down on genomic [surveillance](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03687-x). Yves Moreau. Nature, 03 December 2019. Mandatory DNA Collection Imposed to Expand National [Database](https://bitterwinter.org/mandatory-dna-collection-imposed-to-expand-national-database/). Chang Xin. Bitter Winter, 10/09/2019.** **Mandatory Collection of Male DNA Data in [China](https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-09262019071516.htmls). Radio Free Asia, September 26, 2019** **Abusing People’s Rights, CCP Collects DNA for Tighter [Control](https://bitterwinter.org/ccp-collects-dna-for-tighter-control/). Wang Yong. Bitter Winter, 08/17/2019 Guangdong Police Take Saliva Samples Amid Fears of Nationwide DNA [Program](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/saliva-08072019135647.html). RFA, 2019-08-07. US firms’ links with Chinese on genomics a red flag for FBI: Fears mount Beijing could use DNA data for biological weapons via genetic [mapping](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/us-firms-links-with-chinese-on-genomics-a-red-flag-for-fbi-1.3955143#sst). Colm Keena, Irish Times, 12 July 2019. Stuck in China's [Panopticon](https://www.npr.org/2019/07/05/738949320/episode-924-stuck-in-chinas-panopticon). Ailsa Chang, Nick Fountain. NPR, Planet Money. July 5, 2019** ****Chinese company leaves Muslim-tracking facial recognition database exposed [online](https://www.zdnet.com/article/chinese-company-leaves-muslim-tracking-facial-recognition-database-exposed-online/), Cimpanu, ZD Net, February 2019 US company to stop selling China equipment to build Uighur DNA [database](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/22/us-company-to-stop-selling-china-equipment-to-build-uighur-dna-database). Agence France-Presse / The Guardian, Fri 22 Feb 2019 06.45 GMT.** **China installing QR codes on Uyghur Muslim homes as part of mass security [crackdown](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-uyghur-muslims-xinjiang-province-qr-codes-security-crackdown-hrw-a8532156.html). Tom Embury-Dennis, The Independent. 11 Sept. 2018. Eugen Fischer would have loved this capability! Detecting Genome-wide Variants of Eurasian Facial Shape [Differentiation](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2016/07/11/062950.full.pdf), Qiao et al. 2016** ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "News", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Subscribers", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "China's bumper DNA harvest", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers/china-s-dna-bumper-harvest" } ] } ``` ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers/china-s-dna-bumper-harvest" }, "headline": "China's bumper DNA harvest", "description": "We interviewed the FBI's Ed You way back in 2017 and he presciently warned about China's appetite for harvesting DNA data. This is now happening on an unprecedented scale, and while it is difficult to know what they want to use it for, the fact that they are collecting it can't be ignored. Below are some of the recent news stories on this.  Genomic surveillance: inside China’s DNA dragnet. James Leibold and Emile Dirks, ASPI. 17 June 2020. Also a summary China Is Collecting DNA From Tens of Millions of Men and Boys, Using U.S. Equipment. Sui-Lee Wee. NYT, June 17, 2020.  China’s Biosecurity State in Xinjiang Is Powered by Western Tech. Jessica Batke, Mareike Ohlberg. Foreign Policy, February 19, 2020. China Is Harvesting the DNA of Its People. Is This the Future of Policing? Emile Dirks and James Leibold. NYT, July 24, 2020.  Post #267: In China, Your DNA Belongs to the State. Mel Gurtov. 7 July 2020.  [Danish] DNA fra undertrykt folkeslag i Kina brugt i dansk forskning. Matias Seidelin, Mads Bonde Broberg, Jyllands-Posten. 26.06.2020 & DNA fra undertrykt folkeslag  Ritzau Police Collect Children’s Blood Without Parents’ Consent. Lu Xiaojing. Bitter Winter, 01/02/2020.  China: DNA Phenotyping Profiles Racial Minorities. Heather Zeiger, Mind Matters, December 26, 2019.  China Uses DNA to Map Faces, With Help From the West. Sui-Lee Wee and Paul Mozur. NYT, Dec. 3, 2019 Crack down on genomic surveillance. Yves Moreau. Nature, 03 December 2019.  Mandatory DNA Collection Imposed to Expand National Database. Chang Xin. Bitter Winter, 10/09/2019. Mandatory Collection of Male DNA Data in China. Radio Free Asia, September 26, 2019 Abusing People’s Rights, CCP Collects DNA for Tighter Control. Wang Yong. Bitter Winter, 08/17/2019 Guangdong Police Take Saliva Samples Amid Fears of Nationwide DNA Program. RFA, 2019-08-07.  US firms’ links with Chinese on genomics a red flag for FBI: Fears mount Beijing could use DNA data for biological weapons via genetic mapping. Colm Keena, Irish Times, 12 July 2019.  Stuck in China's Panopticon. Ailsa Chang, Nick Fountain. NPR, Planet Money. July 5, 2019 Chinese company leaves Muslim-tracking facial recognition database exposed online, Cimpanu, ZD Net, February 2019US company to stop selling China equipment to build Uighur DNA database. Agence France-Presse / The Guardian, Fri 22 Feb 2019 06.45 GMT.  China installing QR codes on Uyghur Muslim homes as part of mass security crackdown. Tom Embury-Dennis, The Independent. 11 Sept. 2018.  Eugen Fischer would have loved this capability! Detecting Genome-wide Variants of Eurasian Facial Shape Differentiation, Qiao et al. 2016", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://cbrneworld.com/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "CBRNe World Magazine", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://cbrneworld.com/images/default/Asset%201.png" } }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gwyn Winfield", "url": "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers/china-s-dna-bumper-harvest" }, "datePublished": "2021-03-15T12:44:49+00:00", "dateCreated": "2021-03-15T12:44:49+00:00", "dateModified": "2021-03-16T10:37:49+00:00" } ```