Concerns Over the Construction of the Largest Animal Cloning Center in China

The construction of the largest animal cloning center in China has raised concerns among a group of social media users. According to Xinhua, this center is set to produce dogs, horses, and over one million calves annually through cloning methods. In this context, Agence France-Presse reported that this center will be built by the Chinese company 'Boyu Life' and the Korean company 'Suwon Biotech' in northern Tianjin, China. 'Shou Xiaochun', the executive director of the Chinese company, stated that the center will begin its activities next year with an initial capacity of 100,000 calf embryos per year, which will eventually increase to over one million. He added that 200 million yuan (approximately 31 million dollars) will be invested in this project, which includes laboratories and a gene bank. The center is expected to breed racehorses and police dogs to be sold in the free market. The Korean company participating in this project claimed in 2004 to have produced the first cloned human embryo. The director of this company was hailed as a national hero but was accused in 2006 of fraud and ignoring ethical considerations in its research. The Korean company has posted a list of instructions on its website telling customers how to clone a deceased pet dog. A group of social media users has questioned the production of cloned animal meats, with some deeming these cloning practices unethical.