Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)

The regulation of human genetic resources in China exhibits distinct characteristics that emphasize national sovereignty. Under this framework, activities such as collection, preservation, export, and international collaboration of human genetic resources require an administrative license. This regu...

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Main Authors: Lingqiao Song, Zhenyu Liu, Fanlin Meng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Genetics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1611003/full
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author Lingqiao Song
Lingqiao Song
Zhenyu Liu
Fanlin Meng
author_facet Lingqiao Song
Lingqiao Song
Zhenyu Liu
Fanlin Meng
author_sort Lingqiao Song
collection DOAJ
description The regulation of human genetic resources in China exhibits distinct characteristics that emphasize national sovereignty. Under this framework, activities such as collection, preservation, export, and international collaboration of human genetic resources require an administrative license. This regulatory system began with the promulgation of the Interim Regulations on the Management of Human Genetic Resources in 1998, evolved with the Regulations on the Management of Human Genetic Resources in 2019 (as amended in 2024), and was further refined by the Implementation Rules of these regulations in 2023. This study examines official government statistics on administrative licensing for human genomic projects conducted between January 2021 and December 2024. Analysis indicates that following the adoption of the Implementation Rules, the overall number of licenses declined by 58.4% from 2023 to 2024 (n = 3,114), while the proportion of revoked licenses increased by 16.2%. Despite geopolitical influences, international cooperation licenses continue to be issued. Furthermore, the primary foreign entities remain multinational corporations headquartered in the United States, whereas domestic applicants are predominantly based in Beijing and Shanghai.
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spelling doaj-art-7e499963acdc49cf80c1885d0f255ca12025-08-20T03:28:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genetics1664-80212025-07-011610.3389/fgene.2025.16110031611003Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)Lingqiao Song0Lingqiao Song1Zhenyu Liu2Fanlin Meng3Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaFaculty of Law, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Law, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Law, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, ChinaThe regulation of human genetic resources in China exhibits distinct characteristics that emphasize national sovereignty. Under this framework, activities such as collection, preservation, export, and international collaboration of human genetic resources require an administrative license. This regulatory system began with the promulgation of the Interim Regulations on the Management of Human Genetic Resources in 1998, evolved with the Regulations on the Management of Human Genetic Resources in 2019 (as amended in 2024), and was further refined by the Implementation Rules of these regulations in 2023. This study examines official government statistics on administrative licensing for human genomic projects conducted between January 2021 and December 2024. Analysis indicates that following the adoption of the Implementation Rules, the overall number of licenses declined by 58.4% from 2023 to 2024 (n = 3,114), while the proportion of revoked licenses increased by 16.2%. Despite geopolitical influences, international cooperation licenses continue to be issued. Furthermore, the primary foreign entities remain multinational corporations headquartered in the United States, whereas domestic applicants are predominantly based in Beijing and Shanghai.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1611003/fullgenetic databasescross border genomic data transferhuman genetic resourcesgeopolitician tensioninternational human genomic projectgenomic sovereignty
spellingShingle Lingqiao Song
Lingqiao Song
Zhenyu Liu
Fanlin Meng
Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)
Frontiers in Genetics
genetic databases
cross border genomic data transfer
human genetic resources
geopolitician tension
international human genomic project
genomic sovereignty
title Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)
title_full Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)
title_fullStr Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)
title_full_unstemmed Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)
title_short Statistic tells: the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in China’s genetic governance (2021-2024)
title_sort statistic tells the regulatory pendulum of permit trajectories in china s genetic governance 2021 2024
topic genetic databases
cross border genomic data transfer
human genetic resources
geopolitician tension
international human genomic project
genomic sovereignty
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1611003/full
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AT lingqiaosong statistictellstheregulatorypendulumofpermittrajectoriesinchinasgeneticgovernance20212024
AT zhenyuliu statistictellstheregulatorypendulumofpermittrajectoriesinchinasgeneticgovernance20212024
AT fanlinmeng statistictellstheregulatorypendulumofpermittrajectoriesinchinasgeneticgovernance20212024