In a recent State Department arms control compliance report, concerns have been raised regarding the Chinese military's research into marine-based neurotoxins with potential dual-use applications, potentially violating the 1975 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), which China ratified in 1984. The report, disclosed earlier this month by The Washington Times' Bill Gertz, points out that China's activities, including the possible development of toxins for military purposes, are not adequately accounted for in their disclosures under the BWC.
While China has previously developed germ weapons such as anthrax, cholera, and plague, this report marks the first accusation of their exploration into marine toxins. These toxins, which occur naturally, can target the central nervous system, posing lethal risks even in minute quantities.
While civilian research in China has historically focused on mitigating marine toxin poisoning from seafood and shellfish, U.S. intelligence suggests that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) may be repurposing this research for military applications. The State Department's report does not specify the exact marine toxins under examination by the Chinese military. However, a 2014 research report sponsored by the Chinese government's National Natural Science Foundation of China indicated an exploration of toxins like anatoxins, saxitoxins, and tetrodotoxins for potential military use, as detailed in the Journal of Applied Biomedicine.
Moreover, China's discontinuation of talks with the United States regarding biological and chemical weapons after the COVID-19 pandemic has further raised concerns. This suspicion is exacerbated by China's history of biological weapons programs, which have included agents like ricin and anthrax. The newfound focus on marine toxins represents a novel strategic direction in Beijing's weapons research.
U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that China's PLA may be leveraging civilian research ostensibly aimed at preventing marine toxin poisoning for military weapons development. #biothreat #cbrn #cbrne #hazard #toxin #china #PLA #defenseindustry #toxic #biologicalweapon #anatoxin #biological #science #marine U.S. Department of State #military #defense CBRNE ATLANTIC BRIDGE (CAB) #armscontrol
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