The U.S. Department of Commerce announced new regulations on Wednesday, January 15th, targeting the export control of biotechnology equipment and related technologies. The aim is to prevent the emerging field of biotechnology from being “misused by malicious actors”, particularly targeting the Chinese Communist Party.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the Department of Commerce issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) on Wednesday. The department stated that the responsible use of biotechnology, especially when combined with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, is crucial for protecting public health, agriculture, food production, and the environment.
Alan F. Estevez, Deputy Director of BIS, mentioned, “We have strategically developed these regulatory measures to focus on specific countries while ensuring that these laboratory instruments are used responsibly globally to promote the significant beneficial applications of biotechnology.”
The statement pointed out that emerging biotechnological capabilities have dual-use potential: they enable significant improvements in human welfare but can also be exploited by malicious actors.
According to Reuters, Washington is concerned that China may leverage U.S. technology to enhance its military capabilities and develop new weapons by combining artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
Last week, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Committee on China, urged the U.S. government to consider restricting the export of American biotechnology to the Chinese military. They expressed concerns that Beijing might weaponize this technology to produce more hazardous pathogens.
The letter stated, “Biotechnology competition between the United States and China not only affects our national and economic security but also impacts the future of healthcare and the security of American medical data.”
Wednesday’s statement also highlighted that the combination of biotechnology and artificial intelligence could enhance the military capabilities of certain countries and pose a threat to U.S. national security. “There is evidence to suggest that some countries are actively pursuing a strategy to leverage these technologies to gain asymmetric military advantages.”
It is reported that controlled biotechnology equipment is capable of generating large, detailed datasets on biology, which can be used to analyze complex patterns of biological molecules, cells, and organism functions. This information has a wide range of applications in civilian and commercial sectors.