Facts Matter – Episode Summary

Is China’s Bio-Weapon Program Developing DNA Weapons to Target Specific Ethnic Markers?

Host: Roman (The Epoch Times)
Guests: Joshua Philipp (Senior Investigative Journalist, The Epoch Times), Craig Singleton (Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
Date: February 3, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of "Facts Matter" delves into allegations surrounding the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) biowarfare program, specifically its reported development of biological weapons designed to target particular genetic or ethnic markers. The discussion explores the evolution of China's military biotechnological ambitions, the security risks posed by China's access to foreign DNA data, and the implications of global data sharing and acquisition practices. Through direct quotes, policy references, and expert opinion, host Roman and his guests outline why these developments are significant for global security.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Reality and History of PLA’s Biowarfare Ambitions

• Roman opens by stating that the CCP’s biowarfare program is vast and "viable," with focus now on "biological weapons that can target and attack the DNA strands specific to certain racial groups" (00:18).
• Historical context: As early as 2005, Chinese military writings considered "the design of agents that attack only key enemies without harming ordinary people" (00:48). The 2017 PLA National Defense University textbook added “biology as a domain of warfare” and specifically discussed “ethnic genetic attacks” (01:57).
• 2020 update: The textbook underscores biotechnology as crucial for national security, referencing "specific ethnic genetic attacks… purposeful genetic modification of the ecological environment, food and industrial products" (02:37).
• Roman: "That is literally who's who’s of conspiracy theories written in the PLA military textbook." (03:18)

2. DNA Data Collection: Scale, Channels, Motives

• China has reportedly amassed "the largest collection of American DNA profiles"—sourced via:
  • Hacking
  • Direct purchases from sequencing companies
  • Indirectly through companies like BGI (Beijing Genomics Institute), which "has shared the genetic data of pregnant women from 52 different countries with the Chinese military" (03:43).
• Motivation: While justified for "precision medicine," the Chinese state prohibits foreign organizations from collecting Chinese DNA domestically or exporting it abroad (06:10).
• Funding disparity: China has invested "roughly $9 billion" in precision medicine efforts, far outstripping America’s $215 million initial outlay (06:49).

3. Gene Therapy: Offensive Military Use

• Roman cites University of Wisconsin’s 2004 naked DNA research as an example of benign medical advancement (05:07), but contrasts this with PLA commentary proposing such technology for weaponization: "We could create a micro bullet... deliver the bullet... and cause disease or injury by controlling genes." (05:47)

4. Centralization of Data in China vs. the U.S.

• Joshua Philipp explains that, unlike in the U.S., where private and government data are separated, Chinese law dictates that "every single piece of data...if a Chinese search engine company buys data from an American company...the CCP gets access to it. All of it is centralized. All of it is searchable, and all of it is being used to create bioweapons." (08:53)
• Comparatively, U.S. agencies often face legal hurdles in sharing data across departments, whereas Beijing has "absolute authority over all biological samples stored by or accessible to Chinese entities" (11:52).

5. International Risks & Legal Advantages for the CCP

• The 2020 Biosecurity Law, National Intelligence Law, and cybersecurity laws mean that "even if it’s an American company [with] a joint venture...Beijing, if it wants, can be like, great, let me check on that." (11:55)
• BGI Group, previously Beijing Genomics Institute, has been linked to PLA projects and was listed by the U.S. Defense Department as military-affiliated, raising concerns about use of genomic data for both surveillance and genetic weaponization. (12:51)

6. The Value of Big Data and Genetic Profiles

• Craig Singleton notes that with the bankruptcy of firms like 23andMe (with over 15 million profiles globally), there are fears the CCP could purchase such data for strategic use (11:44).
• Xi Jinping's view: “Whoever controls big data technologies... will control the resources for development and have the upper hand.” (12:11)

7. Biotech, Social Credit, and International Profiling

• China is reportedly using global data for developing social credit systems and bioweapon targeting capabilities. As per Philipp, "They want data on everybody." (11:24)
• The integration of AI with massive datasets allows the Chinese state to build profiles, theoretically even on "random" foreigners (10:12–10:33).

8. Super Soldier Programs and COVID Test Connections

• The BGI Group is also associated with PLA’s purported “Super Soldier program,” and “COVID test” kits globally distributed by BGI are noted as a potential concern for data collection and military use (13:25–13:41).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Roman [00:23]: “One of the most shocking things that they're developing is a biological weapon that can target and attack the DNA strands specific to certain racial groups, which obviously, for one, sounds extremely conspiratorial, and secondly, just sounds like something out of a science fiction movie. But perhaps what's most shocking about it is the fact that it's true.”
• PLA Colonel (quoted by Roman) [05:47]: “By combining this knowledge and particle gun technology, we could create a micro bullet... deliver the bullet via a gunpowder explosion, electron transmission or high pressure gas to penetrate the body's surface... and cause disease or injury by controlling genes.”
• Joshua Philipp [08:53]: "Everything is centralized. Chinese data laws require that every single piece of data, whether you're foreign or domestic… the CCP gets access to it. All of it is centralized. All of it is searchable, and all of it is being used to create bioweapons."
• Roman [11:33]: “That's wild. So speaking of breaching, what about these Chinese artificial wombs?” (Segueing to broader issues of Chinese biotechnological ambition)
• Craig Singleton [11:44]: "The reason it's like causing concern is it has over more than 15 million people's genomic data from over 50 countries. And so Beijing has a history of coming in when companies are filing for bankruptcy and being like, great, I will get it at a profit."
• Xi Jinping (quoted, via Singleton) [12:11]: "Whoever controls big data technologies... will control the resources for development and have the upper hand."
• Joshua Philipp [13:25]: “He’s one of the big ones, the Super Soldier program, they're calling it, which is creating more perfect human humans.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Opening, PLA biowarfare ambitions | 00:00–02:37 | | Collection and use of global DNA data | 03:18–04:45 | | Precision medicine vs. weaponization | 05:07–06:49 | | Centralization of Chinese data collection | 08:46–09:41 | | U.S. vs China data laws; global data access | 09:41–11:33 | | DNA testing, bankruptcies, corporate risks | 11:38–12:32 | | Big Data strategy, Biosecurity Law, and PLA programs | 12:11–13:41 |

Conclusion

This episode paints a detailed and concerning portrait of China’s officially documented efforts to integrate advanced biotechnology into its military capabilities, with a particular focus on collecting DNA data to support both medical and offensive military uses—including, allegedly, the targeting of specific ethnic groups. With large-scale investment, permissive legal frameworks favoring centralized state access, and ties between seemingly independent biotech firms and the military, the hosts suggest that China’s ambitions in "next-gen" warfare and global data dominance are both real and urgent issues for international security and privacy.