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BOSTON (BLOOMBERG) – The researcher who claimed to be the first to genetically engineer human embryos quickly expressed his support for the Chinese government's initiatives to develop the nation's nascent biotechnology industry.
Scientist He Jiankui, who said he had changed the genes of the twins to protect them from HIV, had participated in a program designed to take advantage of the training of Chinese nationals in Western universities.
In addition, a company that he founded received funding from the government. We do not know how much his experiments cost or how they were paid.
Although it is not uncommon for researchers to have links to state programs in China, government officials have sought to stand out from He after widespread condemnation of other scientists.
A Chinese official said Tuesday (Nov. 27) that the country had banned gene modification for fertility purposes in 2003. In the United States and Europe, genetic modification of human embryos is prohibited.
The news arrived at a sensitive moment in relations between China and the United States. US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping were just days away from a crucial trade summit.
China's efforts to encourage innovation within its own country have bothered US officials, who warned against its talent-hiring programs and other support for rivals of the country's major motors. American economy.
The controversy surrounding Dr. He's research could intensify the struggle for global technological dominance of the world's two largest economies.
THOUSAND TALENTS
The Thousand Talent initiative was designed to attract internationally educated researchers to China to meet Beijing's broader desire to become a world leader in high-tech fields. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from Rice University in Houston and postdoctoral research from Stanford University. He returned to China in 2012 and participated in Mille Talents.
Program participants with advanced skills receive the equivalent of about 143,000 USD (197,000 USD), with the possibility of additional research grants of about 700,000 USD, according to its website. They have to work in China for more than nine months a year for three consecutive years. It was not known at once how much money he had received.
After returning to China, he also founded a startup called Direct Genomics, which manufactures a type of DNA sequencing device. He also received government funding, according to the company's website.
Representatives from the Direct Genomics and He labs did not immediately respond to requests for comments sent via email.
The Chinese biotechnology industry, which lags far behind the United States in terms of approved drugs and power in the global market, has been one of the beneficiaries of generous funding policies and efforts to Beijing recruitment. A recent regulatory review also made it much easier to bring drugs to China.
Chinese researchers have also become experts in the use of Crispr, the gene editing technology that he would have used to modify human embryos. It has many potential applications from agriculture to basic medical research. China is "particularly competitive" in Crispr, said a November report by the China-United States Economic and Security Review Commission, which monitors the risks to national security posed by trade with China. The report of the panel of experts highlighted the potential applications of Crispr in agriculture.
Washington Alarms China has not hidden its ambitions to become a technological superpower in the 21st century. His "Made in China 2025" plan describes his plans to become a global player in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics and biomedical research, among others.
These ambitions triggered alarms in Washington. Last week, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer issued a report accusing China of downplaying its targets while continuing to steal US intellectual property. The report highlighted a record venture capital investment in China in the US biotechnology industry.
However, biotech deals with Chinese investors are likely to be further examined. In October, the US Committee on Foreign Investment announced a pilot program to allow the agency to oversee foreign equity investments by foreign entities in critical US industries, including biotechnology.
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