China’s security ministry warns of genetic resource theft and cross-border biosecurity risks

China's Ministry of State Security warned on Sunday that some overseas organizations have entered ecologically sensitive areas under the guise of tourism or scientific research, or illegally collected human blood samples through purported medical testing to steal China's genetic resources and research data.

In a post on its official WeChat account during the National Day holiday, the ministry highlighted cases involving blood samples, exotic pets and plant seeds, calling for greater public awareness of biosecurity risks associated with moving biological materials across borders.

The ministry cited a series of major smuggling cases involving pregnant women's blood samples uncovered by Guangzhou Customs in 2025. Authorities dismantled an illicit cross-border network spanning 23 provinces, helping protect China's human genetic resources, it said.

The warning also addressed the growing popularity of exotic pets and repeated attempts to bring them into China without permission. Customs authorities intercepted 5,439 batches of non-native species in passenger baggage, mail and other inbound channels in 2025, according to the ministry.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, customs authorities intercepted more than 1,000 exotic pets, including beetles, spiders, frogs, salamanders, lizards and snakes. Moving such live animals and specimens across borders requires quarantine and approval procedures, the ministry said.

Plants and seeds present similar concerns. Some people buy unusual flowers or seeds overseas for personal use, while others take native seedlings and seeds abroad as gifts, overlooking the requirements governing their movement, the ministry said.

In May, customs officers found 50 packets of mixed seeds in a mailed parcel declared as "personal belongings." Each packet weighed 500 grams, and the shipment contained large quantities of cannabis seeds.

Customs authorities have also uncovered cases in which travelers concealed plant seedlings or disguised them as gifts to bring them into China without declaring them or submitting them for quarantine, the ministry said.

Such cases carry risks beyond individual violations. Illegal imports of non-native species and unauthorized exports of native organisms or genetic resources can disrupt ecosystems, threaten agricultural production and public health and undermine biosecurity, the ministry said. It described biological genetic resources as national strategic resources and warned of the implications of their illegal export.

China subjects animals, plants, related products and other regulated items moving across its borders to quarantine approval, inspection and supervision, the ministry said, warning that concealment and false declarations could seriously endanger national security.

The ministry called on travelers not to carry animals, plants, seeds or other biological materials across borders without authorization. Those importing or exporting biological materials for research, teaching or other purposes should obtain the necessary permits in advance from customs and relevant agricultural or science and technology authorities, declare the materials accurately and submit them for quarantine.

Members of the public should report suspected illegal cross-border movements of biological materials to the relevant authorities and assist with investigations, it added.