Convicted Gene-Editing Scientist Has Hong Kong Visa Revoked After Public Outrage

He Jiankui speaking at the second international summit on human genome editing in Hong Kong in November 2018. (Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times)

A Chinese scientist convicted of illegal medical practice over gene-edited babies has gotten his Hong Kong visa revoked after widespread criticism from the public.

He Jiankui was initially granted a visa to enter through the Hong Kong government’s new Top Talent Pass Scheme.

The Hong Kong government (HKgov) confirmed that applicants were not required to declare criminal record history when applying for the Scheme.

Late at night on Feb. 21, the HKgov issued a statement declaring that He’s visa would be revoked.

Hong Kong academia suspected that He received a lot of resources in China to test gene editing and the involvement was at a national-level. They believe Beijing might have taken action and that the regime wants to prevent He from exposing details after leaving mainland China.

Scholars also criticized the roughly and poorly executed Top Talent Pass Scheme, which would easily make Hong Kong vulnerable to reckless criminals or individuals with ulterior motives.

HKGov Changed Its Tune 3 Times in 24 Hours

He held a press conference in Beijing on Feb. 21, announcing his visa was approved seven days after applying for the Top Talent Pass Scheme in Hong Kong in early February.

He contacted the scientific research institutions and companies of universities in Hong Kong. “Once a suitable opportunity arises, I will consider going to Hong Kong for work; I plan to carry out genetic treatment for rare genetic diseases.” He said.

He also told the press that he had always thought Hong Kong was free, prosperous, inclusive, and open. “I am optimistic about the future of Hong Kong.”

When asked whether the authorities approved He’s application to the Top Talent Scheme on Feb. 21, Chris Sun Yuk-han, the Labor and Welfare Bureau director, stated it was not an ‘appropriate time’ to discuss individual cases. The director of labor also indicated that applicants were not required to divulge their criminal history.

However, Sun emphasized the Director of Immigration would be the person for Top Talent Scheme’s final approvals.

“If any application contains false statements or has provided untruthful information, the application will be deemed invalid. Visas can be revoked by the director of Immigration even if it has been approved initially.” Sun added.

Top Talent

When asked if a person with a criminal record was considered “highly talented,” Sun reiterated the Top Talent Pass Scheme definition, which include high-paid people and graduates of the top 100 universities worldwide.

Sun said he understood that the public’s primary concern might not be the definition of “Top Talent” but about personal information declared in an application. “The government will review the application process occasionally if additional personal data is needed.”

However, Sun changed his tone in the evening and wrote on the Labor and Welfare Bureau’s social media that the government is highly concerned about the public’s interest in the declaration requirement for the Top Talent Pass Scheme’s application process.

The Immigration Department also quickly adjusted the Top Talent Scheme application process in response to the public’s reaction.

Effective Feb. 22, all applicants must declare criminal history and conviction records in their online applications. For applications whose approvals are pending, the Immigration Department will require applicants to resubmit relevant information.

However, the public suspected He’s visa approval did not fall into the scope of the government’s new declaration measure.

The Hong Kong government, which has refused to comment on individual cases, suddenly released a statement before midnight, responding to the media’s inquiries.

The government said some media questioned why a Top Talent Pass Scheme applicant was approved for visa entry even though the person was convicted and jailed for illegal medical practice.

Upon an application review by the Immigration Department, the department said it believed someone had obtained a visa using false information. They added that the Director of Immigration had declared the individual’s visa permit invalid per the law, and the authorities would conduct a criminal investigation.

Once convicted, the person concerned can be fined up to HK$150,000 ($19,000) and sentenced to prison for up to 14 years.

Lulu and Nuna Controversy

He was an associate professor at Shenzhen Southern University of Science and Technology. In November 2018, He announced that two genetically edited twin girls, Lulu and Nana, were born in China and claimed that the baby girls were immune to HIV.

The initial response from the Chinese regime was very positive. State run media published reports celebrating the twins and The People’s Daily, the CCP’s official publication even headlined an article “The World’s First Gene-Edited Babies Immune to HIV Created in China.” But the regime soon changed its tune after the public raised questions and international scientists condemned He’s experiment.

In addition, the Preparatory Committee of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editors severely criticized He’s human gene editing experiment. The Committee stated the lab project was defective due to the lack of moral ethics, research planning, medical reasons, and failure to protect its research objects’ interests—the experiment also contravened international ethical norms, which they said was disturbing behavior.

Soon, foreign media reported that He had been placed under house arrest in an apartment at the university.

The Epoch Times spoke to Chung Kim-wah, a social policy and public administration scholar, he said “If the Beijing government is not involved, there has to be senior officials. The Chinese Communist Party wanted to cut He off from the world. So no one noticed when he was released from prison.” Chung said, this was until He made the public announcement that he had gotten a visa from Hong Kong.

Beijing’s Involvement in Gene-editing Babies

Chung said Beijing may have intervened with the Hong Kong government, causing it to change direction within 24 hours.

Chung points out that many scientists have mastered the gene choreography technology used in He’s genetic editing of babies. However, He crossed the line of ethics and boundaries when experimenting on humans.

The current affairs scholar believes that He could conduct such experiments because of the regime’s involvement. Chung thinks He has received plenty of resources in China.

Chung questioned if the medically malpracticed scientist went to Hong Kong, someone would ask how he got the project funding and support. Chung also doubted whether HIV-immunized babies born from genetic modification existed and whether they were still alive.

Top Talent Attracts Criminal Minds

Chung pointed out that there is no advanced technology lab in Hong Kong for testing gene editing on babies, let alone funding. In addition, Hong Kong has lost many talented people due to migration in recent years, further weakening Hong Kong’s development foundation in this area.

Chung thinks that the Top Talent Pass is a sloppy scheme.

“Unless He moves his entire laboratory to Hong Kong, the government will have to invest a lot financially and make long-term investments. But I think the opportunity is very small. The private sector will not be better, and multinational enterprises with conditions to engage in such laboratories will not choose Hong Kong.”

Besides, if the application did not require criminal record history, Chung said it would be a thoughtless, grave mistake.

Chung also criticized the Labor and Welfare Bureau director for his earlier statement about possibly canceling an approved visa and whether the government would reexamine 10,000 cases.

“The entire scheme is pointless. The government only wants to find whoever is available regardless of how it might look. Regardless of their real talent, the government wants to find random people to fill the void.”

Chung said the Top Talent Scheme would only attract unethical and reckless people to Hong Kong and do evil.

“Protecting civil society, morals, and professionalism is a thing of the past. The once-robust system has been destroyed. The current system can no longer judge and block out nonsense and reckless people like He Jiankui from showing up in Hong Kong. Jiankui is the perfect example, and the result is clear.”