China is investing heavily in the biosciences to become a global leader, with a focus on genetics due to its large population.
China has established biobanks and research centers but is now launching a "national genetic survey" to assert more oversight and control over these resources.
China has tightened controls on foreign access to genetic data, raising concerns about global research collaboration.
Genetic research is seen as valuable for healthcare, longevity, medicine, and national defense.
The US is feeling pressure from China's genomic advancements, but China's scattered databases are a challenge.
The new regulations aim to centralize and standardize genetic data, with an emphasis on "important genetic families" and residents of "specific regions."
Privacy protections are included in the regulations, but data breaches have raised concerns.
The regulations reflect China's emphasis on national security and a desire for "genomic sovereignty."
China's approach is more restrictive compared to other countries that share genetic data for global scientific discoveries.