“The central policy question is not whether the United States should compete with China in biotechnology. It must. The question is how to right-size that competition.”
A newly released policy paper from the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis argues that the United States should adopt a more targeted approach to biotechnology competition with China, warning that broad restrictions could undermine innovation, disrupt supply chains, and ultimately affect patient outcomes.
The report, Beyond the Biotech Race: Right-Sizing U.S.-China Competition in a Human-Centered Industry, was published on June 22 and authored by Jing Qian, Lizzi C. Lee, and Chris Li. It examines the evolving biotechnology landscape and concludes that U.S.-China competition in the sector is better understood as a process of “asymmetric convergence” rather than a simple race for dominance.
According to the authors, the United States continues to maintain significant advantages in foundational scientific research, first-in-class drug discovery, academic medical centers, venture-backed innovation, capital markets, regulatory credibility, and global standard-setting. China, however, has emerged as a formidable competitor in areas including large-scale research, clinical trial execution, biomanufacturing, commercialization, and international licensing.
“The central policy question is not whether the United States should compete with China in biotechnology. It must,” the authors write. “The question is how to right-size that competition.”
The report argues that biotechnology differs from sectors such as semiconductors because it encompasses a broad ecosystem that includes scientific research, healthcare delivery, manufacturing, regulation, data governance, and patient care. As a result, the authors caution against applying blanket restrictions across the entire industry.
“A sound strategy should protect national security where risks are real, preserve U.S. scientific and industrial leadership where advantages remain decisive, invest in domestic capacity where vulnerabilities exist, and sustain carefully bounded cooperation where it serves American interests and improves human health,” the report states.
The authors recommend a four-part framework for policymakers: protecting sensitive technologies and critical supply chains; promoting domestic innovation through research funding and infrastructure investment; pursuing selective partnerships where they align with U.S. interests; and maintaining leadership in setting global biotechnology standards.
The paper also identifies healthcare and medical research as areas where limited U.S.-China cooperation may still be beneficial. It proposes carefully managed collaboration in cancer research, rare diseases, clinical trial standards, mental health, biosecurity, healthcare affordability, and artificial intelligence-related biological risks.
The authors stress that any cooperation should be reciprocal, governed by clear safeguards, and focused on measurable public health benefits without creating strategic dependencies or enabling sensitive technology transfers.
Rather than viewing China’s biotechnology advances solely as a threat, the report suggests they should serve as a catalyst for strengthening the U.S. biotechnology ecosystem through renewed investment, modernization, and strategic policymaking.
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