The comparison between China’s BCI progress and Elon Musk’s Neuralink is tempting but simplistic. Neuralink confirmed during its recent PRIME human brain-implant trial that the company implanted its coin-sized brain chips in twelve patients by September 2025, marking an important milestone in Western neurotechnology. However, China’s progress must be measured differently—not by patient count alone, but by system-level coordination and national momentum.
While Neuralink focuses on refining its surgical robot and wireless implant for consumer-level adoption, China’s approach focuses on building a full industrial chain. Comprehensive industrial planning covers every component from core hardware to software protocols.
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UNESCO’s Warning Shot: Mental Privacy Is a Human-Rights Issue
In December 2025, the adoption of UNESCO’s global ethical framework for neurotechnology made history as the first international agreement to address neurotechnology at a human-rights level. The framework calls mental privacy a universal right and warns that thought-level data must never be exploited without explicit consent. It emphasizes that neurotechnology should preserve dignity, autonomy, and mental integrity—the core of what makes individuals human.
UNESCO’s recommendations also encourage governments to create ethical oversight boards to review BCI projects, similar to institutional review boards in medical research. It suggests that nations invest in public education so citizens understand what BCIs can and cannot do. Transparency, the framework argues, is the first safeguard against misuse.
For China, these global standards present both opportunity and challenge. Aligning domestic neurotech policy with UNESCO’s principles could enhance global trust and foster international collaboration. However, the inclusion of surveillance as a potential application in national planning documents raises questions about how privacy will be maintained. The global community is watching whether China can balance rapid progress with respect for mental autonomy.