Two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, have been formally accused of smuggling a fungus described by U.S. officials as a “dangerous biological pathogen” into the United States. The charges were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan on Tuesday, reports BBC.
Facing Charges
A Chinese researcher, Ms. Jian, is facing charges in the United States for allegedly smuggling a dangerous fungus, described in scientific literature as a “potential agroterrorism weapon,” into the country. According to the US Attorney’s Office, this pathogen is responsible for “billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year.”
Officials further allege that Ms. Jian received funding from the Chinese government for her research on the pathogen in China and claim she is a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. characterized the allegations as being of the “gravest national security concerns.” He stated, “These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”
The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and US Customs and Border Protection. Ms. Jian is scheduled to appear in court in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday.
In response, the University of Michigan issued a statement to the BBC asserting that it “has received no funding from the Chinese government in relation to research conducted by the accused individuals.” The university also affirmed its cooperation with law enforcement and condemned any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security, or undermine the university’s critical public mission.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C., told the BBC he was not familiar with the specific case but emphasized that Beijing “has always required overseas Chinese citizens to abide by local laws and regulations and will also resolutely safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.”
These charges emerge amidst already strained relations between the US and China, and just days after the Trump administration vowed to “aggressively” revoke the visas of Chinese nationals studying in the US.
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Source: BBC
