China's Genetic Data Acquisition Sparks Global Arms Race Concerns
China's Fire-Eye labs, a portable genetic testing facility, has attracted the attention of Western intelligence agencies amid concerns about China's intentions. The labs, which have rapidly spread to multiple countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been accused of collecting human DNA data from nations around the world. China's collection effort, which has been ongoing for over a decade, includes the acquisition of US genetics companies and refined hacking operations. While Chinese officials deny any inappropriate access to genetic data, Western intelligence officials remain wary of China's hidden agenda in gathering highly valuable human DNA data.