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🇩🇰 Denmark /Conflict & Security

Chinese machines at the University of Copenhagen could put Danes’ DNA in the hands of China’s intelligence service

From Berlingske · () Danish

Translated from Danish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The University of Copenhagen may still operate gene-processing machines supplied by a Chinese company, despite a 2024 promise to end the cooperation.
  • Ingeniøren reports that the equipment could potentially allow Danish DNA data to reach China’s intelligence service and military.
  • Denmark’s security and intelligence service PET has warned that the machines could transmit uniquely identifying genetic data to China’s military.

The University of Copenhagen promised in 2024 that it had ended cooperation with a controversial Chinese supplier of gene-processing machines. Ingeniøren now reports that the university still has one or more of the machines, raising the possibility that Danish DNA could end up with China’s intelligence service and military.

The equipment can process genetic material and, according to the report, could send uniquely identifying data about Danes to Chinese authorities. PET, Denmark’s security and intelligence service, has warned that the machines could transmit such data to China’s military.

The revelation directly challenges the university’s earlier assurance to Berlingske that it would stop working with the Chinese provider. Ingeniøren describes that promise as untrue, putting the university’s handling of sensitive genetic information under scrutiny.

About this summary

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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