China Snares Innocent and Guilty Alike to Build World’s Biggest DNA Database

Earlier this year, I was called into the police station in Shenzhen China. Long story short is, I lease a home here and there is a rule if you don't stay in a hotel, you need to register with the local police station upon entry. Well, I didn't know it applied upon every single entry and exit even if I lease my own home and frankly the local police didn't know either. Anyhow, they pretty well booked me with fingerprints and a mugshot. The guy that did the fingerprints pulled out a saliva DNA swab and was getting ready to hand that to me and I was simultaneously getting red-in-the-face and ready to unload with a hell-raising objection. Fortunately, before I exploded, a higher level officer walked in and waved him off not to make me do the DNA swab. But for sure, they are building the database.

The social control aspects are worrying; unmentioned in the article, but equally important, is the likelihood that this is likely to give a significant boost to China's competitiveness in biotechnology.