BEIJING — Hong Kong on Tuesday revoked a visa it granted to a Chinese scientist who set off an ethical debate five years ago with claims that he made the world’s first genetically edited babies, pulling it hours after he announced his research plans in the financial hub.
He Jiankui shocked the world in 2018 when he announced he had altered the embryos of twin girls, with many in the scientific community criticizing his work as unethical. He was convicted by a mainland Chinese court in 2019 of practicing medicine without a license and sentenced to three years in prison with a fine of 3 million yuan ($445,000).
Ten months after his release, He announced in Beijing on Tuesday that he had been granted a Hong Kong visa and was in contact with universities, research institutes, and companies in the financial hub.
He said he would consider working in Hong Kong if there were an appropriate opportunity, and that he plans to research gene therapy for rare hereditary diseases.