China’s biotech boom threatens U.S. lead as Harvard and U.S. security watchdogs warn
China is closing in fast on the U.S. in biotech, especially drug and agricultural development. The Harvard Belfer Center’s new Critical and Emerging Technologies Index says China "has the most immediate opportunity to overtake the United States in biotechnology." The U.S. still leads overall but faces a narrow gap that could flip quickly.
The U.S. National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology issued a stark warning in April: 
"There will be a ChatGPT moment for biotechnology, and if China gets there first, no matter how fast we run, we will never catch up."
"Our window to act is closing. We need a two-track strategy: make America innovate faster, and slow China down."
The commission calls for at least $15 billion government spending over the next five years to back U.S. biotech.
China’s strengths? Massive pharmaceutical production, a bigger talent pool, and faster, more flexible regulatory approval. Harvard’s Cynthia Y. Tong told CNBC:
"China also has a ‘more flexible regulatory regime and the ability to push things out faster.’ The U.S. approval and research process takes longer."
Big pharma is already rushing into China. AstraZeneca committed $2.5 billion to a Beijing R&D hub. And multiple global firms are acquiring Chinese cancer drug candidates.
Meanwhile, the U.S. biotech hub around Boston is struggling with layoffs and empty labs. China recently overtook the U.S. in annual clinical trials and patent growth. Life sciences construction is booming there too.
Harvard’s Eric Rosenbach expects more U.S. pressure on China:
"The likelihood there’s going to be cooperation [between the] U.S. and China on anything is very low, in some ways least likely on biotech and AI."
Chinese companies like Insilico Medicine use AI and global teams—mixing research across Canada, China, and the Middle East. Insilico claims a milestone with the first AI-discovered drug advancing in clinical testing.
China’s long-term biotech push is backed by aggressive state-led plans dating back to 2007. The U.S. lacks a unified biotech strategy. Experts warn this could give Beijing new leverage over global supply chains, repeating rare earths’ dominance.
China’s biotech sprint is forcing U.S. industry and policymakers to rethink how to keep pace. The race is heating up.
