Over the last decade, I had the rare opportunity to sit on the front lines of China’s genomics revolution.
For nearly 10 years, I worked at BGI, one of China’s largest genomics companies. When I joined, BGI was still a buyer - relying heavily on sequencing machines from Illumina and other global suppliers. I directly experienced the company transform from a user of imported technologies to a global player in its own right, ultimately building its own suite of sequencing instruments. It was a front-row seat to one of the most exciting and fast-moving eras in life sciences.
During this period, the cost of sequencing a genome plummeted, from thousands of dollars to under a hundred. At the same time, genomics-enabled technologies such as non-invasive prenatal testing, newborn screening and hereditary cancer screening evolved from experimental ideas into routine clinical tools, accessible to millions.
While competition in the field was intense, it was largely driven by a spirit of genuine commercial innovation and mutual respect for the science. BGI, at the time, maintained active collaborations with leading universities across Europe and North America, reflecting a period of open, constructive engagement.
Yet, in the years since I left BGI, much of that clarity, nuance, and international collaboration has diminished, as the global conversation around genomics has become increasingly politicized.
A More Nuanced Conversation About China and Biotech
BridgeCross Bio Media was born out of that gap, out of a desire to tell the story of China’s biotechnology sector in a way that is fact-driven, balanced, and independent of ideology.
As geopolitical tensions rise, science is no longer shielded from politics. The COVID-19 pandemic threw this into sharp relief: debates over lab origins, data transparency, and global cooperation underscored how genomics, once a purely scientific field, has now become part of the conversation around national security, digital sovereignty, and global power dynamics.
In this climate, it’s become harder, not easier, to have honest, informed discussions about the role China is playing in shaping the future of science.
Our goal at BridgeCross is to provide audiences with an accurate, contextual understanding of China’s biotech and medtech landscape. We are neither pro- nor anti-China. We do not aim to hype, nor to vilify. We believe that good reporting, like good science, should follow the data.
Why This Matters
China is now a global force in genomics, drug discovery, diagnostics, and medtech manufacturing. It is home to some of the most ambitious national healthcare initiatives in the world, from sequencing tens of millions of genomes to building entire life science clusters in cities like Shenzhen and Suzhou.
And yet, outside of China, few have a clear picture of what’s actually happening - beyond headlines about restrictions, sanctions, or espionage fears. Meanwhile, inside of China, tighter media control has limited the kind of open, critical analysis that is essential for the biotech community, both local and global, to make informed decisions.
This asymmetry in understanding is both dangerous and unnecessary.
We believe there is value - urgent value - in helping researchers, investors, policymakers, and clinicians understand not only the what, but the why behind China’s biotech rise.
What You Can Expect From BridgeCross
At BridgeCross, we are committed to:
- Independent analysis: Our content is editorially independent, and we do not accept funding from any government or political entity.
- On-the-ground insight: Our contributors have worked, lived, and built careers within China’s science ecosystem. We understand the context—both technical and cultural.
- Global relevance: Whether you're in Berlin, Boston, or Bangalore, China's biotech policies, companies, and technologies will likely shape your scientific or commercial decisions in the decade ahead.
Who We're Here For
Our content is for anyone who needs more than headlines, scientists, business leaders, regulators, researchers, and curious readers who want to understand the full story behind one of the most consequential shifts in global science.
You don’t have to agree with every article we publish. In fact, we hope you’ll challenge them. But we promise this: every piece we write will aim to inform, not inflame, and to build a more thoughtful bridge between China’s biotech sector and the rest of the world.
Why the Name BridgeCross?
We chose the name because we believe the biotech world needs exactly that: a bridge between China's biotech and the broader global community, and vice versa.
Science doesn’t flourish in isolation. And understanding doesn’t emerge from echo chambers.
We're here to help bridge the gap, not with fear or favour, but with facts.
Welcome to BridgeCross.