Chinese biotech firm Wuxi AppTec should be sanctioned as a security threat, US lawmakers tell White House officials

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In a letter dated February 12, the lawmakers claim the global pharmaceutical giant’s links to China’s Communist Party and military threatened US national security

‘We are concerned by a misguided US legislative initiative to target our company without a fair and transparent review of the facts,’ says a statement on Wuxi AppTec’s homepage

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Wuxi AppTec has repeatedly said that it is not a national security risk to any country. Photo: SCMP Handout

Reuters

Published: 11:42am, 13 Feb 2024

The US should review Chinese biotech firm Wuxi AppTec and its affiliate Wuxi Biologics for sanctions, a bipartisan group of lawmakers told top Biden administration officials on Monday.

In a letter dated February 12 and seen by Reuters, the lawmakers told Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo that the global pharmaceutical giant’s links to China’s Communist Party and military threatened US national security.

The letter, signed by the Republican chair and Democratic ranking member of the House select committee on China, Representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Senators Gary Peters and Bill Hagerty, is Congress’ latest effort to highlight what it says are risks posed by China’s biotech leaders.

Congress has introduced legislation that would restrict federally-funded medical providers from allowing China’s BGI Group, Wuxi AppTec and other biotech firms from getting genetic information about Americans.

Wuxi AppTec did not respond immediately to a request for comment, but has repeatedly said that it is not a national security risk to any country.

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“We are concerned by a misguided US legislative initiative to target our company without a fair and transparent review of the facts,” Wuxi AppTec said previously in a statement still on its website homepage.