US intel digging through genetic data to uncover virus origins

It’s unclear exactly how or when US intelligence agencies gained access to the information, but the machines involved in creating and processing this kind of genetic data from viruses are typically connected to external cloud-based servers — leaving open the possibility they were hacked, sources said.

The Chinese had to have genetic sequencing data analysis storage and software services with shared DBs and backups either on online servers or a cloud. It unlikely to be in Mandarin but in rather in some standard format any competent developer can read, together with any stored queries and analysis routines.