China's Commerce Ministry has placed U.S.-based DNA sequencing and life sciences technologies company Illumina on its ‘unreliable entity’ list, in what appears to be retaliatory action following new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.
Illumina and PVH — the American fashion giant that owns brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein — were added to the blacklist after taking “discriminatory measures against Chinese enterprises,” according to a Reuter’s report. Companies on this list can face fines and additional sanctions, such as the revocation of work permits for staff or freezes on trade.
Illumina has built a name for itself in the growing Chinese DNA sequencing market, launching several new products and technologies in China. The company has offices in Shanghai and Beijing, and opened its first manufacturing site in China in 2022, with an initial focus on sequencing reagents for clinical use.
Two of Illumina’s China-based competitors, BGI and MGI, are listed as 'companies of concern' in the U.S. BIOSECURE Act. The yet-to-be-passed legislation would prohibit U.S. federal funding to companies working with the Chinese providers named on the list, as a matter of national security.
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