Last year I wrote a novel called "Napoleon in Shanghai" predicting that China would be the first country to begin a large-scale genetic testing program.
According to CNN, this is already coming true:
[Chinese] scientists claim a simple saliva [DNA test can predict] a child's IQ, emotional control, focus, memory, athletic ability and more ... The Chinese government is also interested in giving talented children an early start on their careers. Children as young as two are regularly hand-picked by the government to represent China on the international stage.
It's easy to see where this is headed:
China's one-child policy often produces anxious and ambitious parents with high expectations for their only child.
If you can only have one child, you'll want to ensure he or she is born with the "very best genes", for traits like charisma, ambition, self-confidence, intelligence, and self-motivation. (Ironic, since one of the central tenets of Communism is that man has no innate character!) I predict there will be large-scale prenatal genetic screening programs in China in the next few years. The Chinese are practical people, unconstrained by Western ethics, and so will seize upon any means to advance their familial interests.
The response from the rest of the world will also be predictable. Initially, we'll be horrified and shocked, and claim with indignation that "it will never work" and "all men are created equal". Then, once we see the results in China, we'll change our minds and want the same for ourselves. Forget the nuclear arms race. "Nowadays, competition in the world is about who has the most talent."
