China’s government is mass-collecting DNA from Tibetans
It doesn’t bother to hide its aim: social control
In one image Tibetan monks, clad in burgundy and orange robes, gather around as a police officer pricks a monk’s finger. In another image children at a kindergarten line up to have their blood taken by officers sitting at a rainbow-coloured table. The pictures, posted by the authorities on WeChat, a social-media platform, show an official campaign to collect the dna of Tibetans. It is often as casual as it is invasive. Many of the posts suggest police are pricking fingers while completing other tasks, such as registering id cards or enforcing covid-19 restrictions (much of Tibet has been locked down since August). The effort is painted as part of a broader campaign to strengthen local policing.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “They will take blood”
From the September 17th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
China needs its frightened officials to save the economy
After years of being hounded by anti-graft authorities, many are too afraid to act
The bad side-effects of China’s campaign to cut drug costs
Poor quality is one. An angry public is another
America and China are talking. But much gets lost in translation
How linguistic differences complicate relations between the great powers
It’s a good time to be an astrologer in China
In the face of hardship, the country’s youth are embracing superstition
The early days of the Trump administration, as viewed from China
A good start, but it could get worse quickly
How (un)popular is China’s Communist Party?
As the economy falters and the social compact frays, Xi Jinping wants to know