China Challenges US Lead in Biotechnology Industry

The biotechnology industry is experiencing a competitive tension between the US and China, with China emerging as a significant player potentially poised to overtake the US in biotech innovation and investment. Experts emphasize that the US still has strong investment capacity, top talent, and robust technology transfer systems, but China’s rapid growth and increasing number of transactions, including licensing deals, threaten the US’s leading position. Hong Kong is also making bold moves to revolutionize biotech by showcasing its cutting-edge research and fostering international collaborations, as seen at the 2025 BIO conference in Boston, where local companies presented novel drug discovery platforms and an innovative HIV vaccine project attracted considerable attention. Meanwhile, a prolonged corporate battle over Sinovac Bioscience, a major Chinese Covid vaccine developer, highlights challenges within Chinese biotech firms listed in the US, involving disputes over billions in dividends and corporate control. This multifaceted landscape suggests that while the US maintains significant advantages, China and Hong Kong are aggressively advancing their biotech sectors, shaping a dynamic and evolving global industry.