Chinese Researchers Charged in Fungus Smuggling Case

Yunqing Jian, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan, and Zunyong Liu, a Zhejiang University researcher, have been charged in the US with conspiracy, smuggling, visa fraud, and making false statements for allegedly attempting to bring the dangerous fungus Fusarium graminearum into the country. The fungus, a potential agroterrorism weapon, causes 'head blight' in wheat, barley, maize, and rice, leading to billions in crop losses and producing toxins harmful to humans and animals. Jian and Liu planned to study the pathogen in a Michigan lab that lacked required federal biohazard permits. Liu was intercepted at Detroit airport in July 2024 with undeclared samples, and evidence suggests Jian may have previously smuggled biological material. Both have alleged ties to Chinese government funding and the Chinese Communist Party. Jian is in US custody, Liu has returned to China, and extradition is unlikely due to the lack of a treaty.