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WASHINGTON – US intelligence shows China has conducted “human tests” on members of the People’s Liberation Army in hopes of developing soldiers with “biologically enhanced capabilities,” the senior official said on Friday. of American intelligence.
John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence, included the explosives allegation in a lengthy Wall Street Journal editorial in which he claimed China was the main threat to US national security.
“There are no ethical limits to Beijing’s pursuit of power,” wrote Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas.
His office and the CIA did not immediately respond to requests to elaborate on the idea that China was seeking to create “super soldiers” of the kind depicted in Hollywood movies like “Captain America”, “Bloodshot” and “Universal Soldier”.
Last year, two U.S. academics wrote an article examining China’s ambitions to apply biotechnology to the battlefield, including what they said were signs that China was interested in using the technology for it. editing of genes to improve human – and perhaps soldiers – performance.
Specifically, the researchers explored Chinese research using the CRISPR gene editing tool, short for “clusters of short, evenly spaced palindromic repeats.” CRISPR has been used to treat genetic diseases and modify plants, but Western scientists consider it unethical to seek to manipulate genes to improve performance in healthy people.
“While the potential of leveraging CRISPR to increase human capabilities on the future battlefield remains only a hypothetical possibility at this time, there are indications that Chinese military researchers are beginning to explore its potential,” wrote the academics, Elsa Kania, a Chinese expert. defense technology at the Center for a New American Security; and Wilson VornDick, China consultant and former naval officer.
“Chinese scientists and military strategists have consistently pointed out that biotechnology could become a ‘new strategic pinnacle of the future revolution in military affairs,’” the researchers wrote, citing a 2015 article in a military journal.
A prominent Chinese general, they noted, said in 2017 that “modern biotechnology and its integration with the fields of information, nano (technology) and cognitive, etc. will have revolutionary influences on weapons and equipment, combat spaces, forms of warfare. and military theories. “
VornDick said in a phone interview that he was less concerned about the advantage this research could offer on the battlefield than the consequences of tampering with human genes.
“When we start playing with genetic organisms, there can be unintended consequences,” he said.
Chinese government officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The general message of Ratcliffe’s opinion piece is that China is a dangerous adversary that threatens US economic and national security.
“The People’s Republic of China today poses the greatest threat to America and the greatest threat to democracy and freedom in the world since World War II,” he wrote. “The intelligence is clear: Beijing intends to dominate the United States and the rest of the planet economically, militarily and technologically.”
In an interview with Fox News, Ratcliffe urged President-elect Joe Biden to “be honest” about China.
As NBC News reported, Biden and his foreign policy advisers agree that China poses a major threat, but say they believe the Trump administration has offered more swagger than substance in response.
Courtney kube contributed.
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