2 Chinese nationals charged for smuggling crop-killing fungus into US

International

A MICROSCOPIC fungus capable of crippling global food supplies has put two Chinese nationals at the center of a federal investigation in the United States.

Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, are facing charges of conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Authorities accused the pair of attempting to smuggle Fusarium graminearum—a pathogen known to ravage wheat, barley, maize, and rice—into the U.S. for unauthorized research.

In a report by BBC, prosecutors said Liu tried to bring the fungus into the country through Detroit Metropolitan Airport with the intention of delivering it to a University of Michigan laboratory, where Jian, his girlfriend, was employed.

The fungus can infect grain supplies and produce toxins that are harmful to both humans and animals, leading to vomiting, liver damage, and massive agricultural losses.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that Fusarium graminearum is identified in scientific and security literature as a potential agroterrorism agent, linked to billions of dollars in crop losses worldwide.

Federal investigators also alleged that Jian previously received Chinese government funding for related research abroad and is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. called the allegations a matter of “the gravest national security concerns,” claiming the two defendants aimed to exploit a university laboratory in "the heartland of America" for unauthorized study of the pathogen.

The FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the joint investigation. Jian is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday in Detroit.

In a statement provided to the BBC, the University of Michigan said it has received no Chinese government funding related to the research in question. The university added that it is cooperating with law enforcement and “strongly condemns any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security, or undermine the university’s public mission.”

When asked for comment, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said he was not familiar with the case but emphasized that Chinese citizens overseas are expected to comply with local laws, while also stating that China would protect their legitimate rights.

The charges emerged at a moment of heightened diplomatic tension between the U.S. and China. The U.S. administration recently announced plans to tighten oversight of Chinese students, while Beijing has accused Washington of violating a tariff-reduction agreement reached in Geneva just last month.(MyTVCebu)