Senator Mark Warner says the threat from Chinese technology companies could soon grow even bigger than Huawei — and this time, the focus is on DNA.
Ten years ago, most Americans had never heard of Huawei. Today, the Chinese telecom giant stands as a symbol of how quickly China can dominate strategic technology sectors, creating new national security and market challenges for the U.S. government and industry.
Now, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, says another Chinese company could eclipse Huawei in size and influence. But it isn’t building 5G networks or smartphones. It’s collecting genetic data.
“If Huawei is big, BGI will be bigger,” Warner said Wednesday at the CNBC Chief Financial Officer Council Summit in Washington.
BGI is one of the world’s largest genomics companies, operating DNA sequencing laboratories in China and overseas. According to reports, the company processes genetic data for hospitals, pharmaceutical firms, and researchers across dozens of countries.
The firm began as a Beijing-based research group known as the Beijing Genome Research Institute, closely tied to China’s National Genome Project. Over time, it expanded into a global biotechnology giant, offering DNA sequencing, prenatal testing, cancer screening, and large-scale population genetic analysis, according to NBC News.
Through subsidiaries, BGI says it operates in the United States, Europe, and Japan. In some countries, it has also helped build national genetic databases and pandemic detection systems.
U.S. intelligence officials believe this worldwide reach has given BGI access to one of the largest collections of genetic data on Earth. Lawmakers warn that such data is not just medical information anymore. At massive scale, it becomes a strategic national security asset — sparking what some analysts describe as a potential “DNA arms race.”
DNA profiling can reveal ancestry, physical traits, disease risks, and family relationships. When combined with artificial intelligence, the data may be used for surveillance, tracking, and long-term biological research connected to national security concerns.
Speaking again at the CNBC event this week, Warner stressed the dangers.
“They’re collecting DNA data,” he said. “This level of experimentation, targeting both humans and intellectual property theft, is something we should all be concerned about.”
Congressional investigators have previously warned that BGI maintains close links to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military, according to a House Select Committee report. Lawmakers argue that China draws little distinction between commercial operations and national security activities.
The Fear of ‘Super Soldiers’
One of the most troubling worries around BGI — and China’s broader biotechnology drive — is the possibility of genetically enhanced soldiers. U.S. officials have previously said China has studied human performance enhancement and military biotechnology.
Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images
Defense analysts report that Chinese research draws on population DNA collections, military databases, and artificial intelligence models aimed at boosting human performance. These claims were highlighted in a 2020 Wall Street Journal column by former CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who also served as director of national intelligence during President Trump’s first term.
Warner addressed the issue directly.
“It’s horrific,” he said.
A former telecom executive and co-founder of Nextel, Warner described China as a powerful competitor and pointed back to Huawei’s rise. Huawei succeeded by delivering high-quality products at low prices before American and European companies were ready to compete — a lesson Warner says nobody should forget.
“Eight or nine years ago, most people had never even heard of Huawei,” he said.
Huawei grew rapidly due to heavy state support, worldwide market access, and aggressive pricing. Before governments fully understood the risks, the company embedded itself deep into global telecommunications infrastructure. In 2019, Huawei was placed on the U.S. trade blacklist, banning American firms from selling certain technologies to the company. Restrictions tightened further afterward.
But Warner said Washington acted too slowly.
“By the time we began to respond seriously, we were already losing some ground,” he said.
Today, large portions of the world’s 5G backbone have already been shaped by Chinese technology.
In a separate interview, Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan — the Republican chair of the House committee focused on the Chinese Communist Party — said Beijing continues to use tactics like overcapacity, market flooding, price manipulation, and forcing competitors out of business.
“We want to be friendly with China, but China is not our friend,” Moolenaar said. “They are our most important opponent.”
Warner noted that while the Soviet Union was mainly a military and ideological rival, China now competes across nearly every technology frontier — from 5G and artificial intelligence to quantum computing and biotechnology.
He believes BGI is following the same expansion formula Huawei once used, growing quickly with heavy state backing. Earlier this year, the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies urged U.S. lawmakers from both parties to restrict BGI’s access to American institutions.
Congress is currently debating versions of the Biosecurity Act, legislation that would limit Chinese biotechnology firms from operating in the United States. According to the Associated Press, some hospitals and research centers linked to Chinese genomics companies now face federal pressure to cut those ties.
Medical researchers across the country warn these restrictions may disrupt important medical studies.
BGI has rejected such claims, stating that the proposed legislation is a “false flag” disguised as national security concerns. The company insists it follows all laws and does not access or collect personal data from Americans.
Intel Lag and Strained Alliances
Warner said U.S. intelligence agencies have moved too slowly to identify fast-growing biotech risks. He argued that agencies historically focused more on foreign governments and militaries, while overlooking commercial technology sectors that now hold enormous national security importance.
Only in the past two to three years, he said, has the U.S. seriously expanded intelligence efforts in artificial intelligence, semiconductor development, and biotechnology. He called this too late and urged a more “advanced approach.”
As proof of the problem, Warner pointed to China’s biggest chip manufacturer, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC). Despite strict U.S. export controls, the company successfully produced six-nanometer microchips — an achievement that caught U.S. officials off guard.
“SMIC’s six-nanometer chip surprised us,” Warner said.
He also warned that America’s ability to track China’s technological advance depends heavily on cooperation with allies within global intelligence-sharing networks such as the Five Eyes alliance. Those ties, he said, have weakened in recent years.
Countries including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France have reportedly expressed concern about sharing intelligence with Washington, fearing information could be politicized.
“They worry our intelligence assessments might be politicized,” Warner said. “That’s not good news for the United States.”
Finally, Warner said U.S. competition with China is also suffering because America is losing leadership in setting global technology standards. For decades, the U.S. helped establish the rules governing wireless networks, satellites, and internet infrastructure — a major advantage that strengthened American technological dominance even when breakthroughs occurred abroad.
China is now aggressively trying to take control of that role.
“This was one of America’s secret weapons,” Warner said — the ability to lead international rule-making.
“Is it us or China setting the standards?” he asked. “China clearly takes a less human-centered approach. They flood standards bodies with engineers and effectively buy influence. We need to re-engage — American businesses and our government together.”