Two Chinese for biopathogen smuggling for research at the University of Michigan charged

Von WOM

Zwei chinesische Forscher wurden wegen des Schmuggels von Krankheitserregern, die sie an der University of Michigan untersuchen wollten, angeklagt. Der Fall wirft Fragen zur Forschungssicherheit auf.
Two Chinese researchers were charged with the smuggling of pathogens they wanted to examine at the University of Michigan. The case raises questions about research security. (Symbolbild/DNAT)

In a troubling incident, two Chinese researchers were accused of smuggling a biological pathogen into the USA that they wanted to examine at a laboratory from the University of Michigan. According to a lawsuit submitted on Tuesday, Yunqing Jian, 33 years old, and Zunyong Liu, 34 years old, were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, smuggling of goods to the United States, false information and visa. They had introduced the mushroom fusarium graminearum from China, as the district court of the United States announced for the eastern district of Michigan.

threat from agrorism

fusarium graminearum is described as a "potential agrorism weapons", which can cause diseases in certain plants such as corn, rice and barley and is responsible for economic losses in billions in billions in the world, as can be read in an affidavit from the FBI.

visa and examination of scientists

The accusations coincide with the intention of the Trump administration to revoke Visa for Chinese students, in particular for those with alleged "connections to the China Communist Party or that in critical areas," said Foreign Minister Marco Rubio recently. In the past few months, the Foreign Ministry has examined possible misconduct by scientists across the country, including a Harvard researcher who is accused of smuggling froglybryons.

intentions of the researchers and national security

FBI director Kash Patel described the case as "a sobering memory that the China Communist Party is working on using agents and researchers in order to infiltrate American institutions and to target our food supply, which would have serious consequences." The affidavit does not contain any specific information about the intentions of Jian and Liu regarding the examination of the mushroom.

Details on the case and research profiles

CNN contacted the Federal Defender for the eastern district of Michigan, who represents Jian to get a comment. Jian, who was arrested by the FBI, remains in custody. Liu is currently not in the USA, as Gina Balaya, information officer from the US lawyer for the eastern district of Michigan. Liu, who is researching at the Zhejiang University in China, tried to introduce several samples of the mushroom during a trip with a tourist visa in July 2024, but had not applied for approval.

financing and research at universities

Jian, the girlfriend of Liu, is a postdoctoral student at the laboratory for molecular plant microbe interactions at the University of Michigan and previously worked at a university in Texas since August 2022. The affidavit states that the Chinese government financed its research on fusarium graminearum at the Zhejiang University.

evidence and legal steps

Files found on Jian's phone contain a signed “annual self-assessment form” from the university, which describes its research success of the previous year and includes an oath on the principles of the China Communist Party. Former reports from Radio Free Asia say that "tens of thousands" Chinese students who were equipped with scholarships funded by the government were forced to sign this document.

When Liu was interviewed at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July 2024, he initially claimed not to know what the materials were with the fungus, but finally admitted that he had deliberately hidden the rehearsals and planned to clone various tribes in the Labor of the University of Michigan, in which Jian works. Several devices confiscated by Liu show messages in which he coordinated with Jian the sneaking of biological rehearsals and other materials for the trip in July 2024 and for a trip two years earlier.

statement by the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan said in a statement that "they aim to do any acts that are causing damage, threatening national security or undermining the critical public mission of the university" and emphasized that they received no financing from the Chinese government in connection with the accused.

Jian appeared in court on Tuesday, but did not give up a plea. A hearing to detention is scheduled for Thursday.