Regaining and Maintaining the Advantage in Biotechnologies by Protecting Against Genomic Data Flows to China

European genomic data is indispensable to China’s biotech and med-tech research and ex- ports. International collaboration on scientific advancement has been a key contributor to innovation and collective progress. In recent years, the European Union and China have con- ducted joint research partnerships bilaterally and with other countries. These have included the sharing of sensitive genomic data. However, growing geopolitical competition and con- cerns about the application of discoveries have had a chilling effect in a broad range of tech- nological areas, including genomic data-sharing. Research partnerships are already subject to access and ethics controls but increasing geopolitical tensions have prompted calls for a review of the transfer of sensitive data to China due to concerns about its use. Data can pro- vide insights that contribute to societal benefits but transfers have competition and national security implications. This chapter outlines China’s stated ambitions in genomics, analyses China’s dependencies vis-à-vis Europe, and assesses Europe’s strengths in genomic data. The example of Latvia MGI Tech provides a case study of EU-China genomic data collaboration that could be exploited by China for competitive advantage at significant risk to European industry, and potentially the citizens of EU member states.