context: A draft biosecurity law, under NPC review since October 2019, is on track for 2020 issuance. COVID-19 raised its importance, recognised Xi Jinping at a 14 February meeting. High-level coordination is needed, given the number of agencies involved and the low status of National Biosafety Management Office under Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation offered recommendations on the Biosecurity Law to the NPC (National People's Congress) legislative work committee, reports Beijing News.
- centralise biosecurity information
- collect monitoring data from all agencies and localities in a biosecurity big data platform
- provide real-time risk monitoring, identification, screening and early-warning
- give the governing agency equal power to current biosecurity regulators so that it can coordinate emergency responses
- clamp down on illegal online trade
- step up inspections of logistics, especially in border regions, to halt illegal trade in wild animals, ivory, plants and microorganisms
- although China signed the 'Convention on Biological Diversity' and the 'Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety', they can only be implemented if domestic laws are changed
- improve public consultation
- allow experts to analyse and recommend amendments, to ensure the law is scientifically sound
- set up a biosecurity expert database
Throughout the legislative process, several commentators called for a biosecurity ethics committee, says the report. Principles are needed to set clear boundaries, says Du Qun 杜群 Beihang University Law School professor (Note: similar to those for AI). Scientists should be allowed to experiment, but they should follow ethical guidelines and should not risk humanity's future, says the report, referring to scandals with faulty vaccines, gene-edited babies and BGI Genomics (Note: which illegally exported human genetic resources in 2015).
The illegal export of Chinese genetic material and biological data is loss of a national resource, says Ma Yong 马勇 China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation secretary general.