US lawmakers probe University of Michigan over Chinese nationals accused in agroterrorism fungus smuggling case

Washington DC [US] June 20 : A range of congressional committees has initiated an extensive investigation into professors and research facilities at the University of Michigan associated with two Chinese nationals accused of bringing a "potential agroterrorism" fungus into the United States, as reported by The National Review (TNR).

Since 2010, these professors have obtained around USD 9.6 million in federal research support and have previously held positions at institutions in both China and the US Congressional investigators also discovered that Zunyong Liu, one of the two Chinese researchers charged earlier this month with smuggling, is noted as an affiliate in a Chinese-government-sponsored research talent program, according to TNR.

Liu allegedly received funding from a province in China for research on the fungus this year, while his co-defendant and girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, was taken into custody this month. Liu is believed to be absconding in China. Letters have been sent to the University of Michigan, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation.

"Taxpayer dollars should never support research associated with the Chinese Communist Party, especially when it involves dangerous biological substances. These arrests highlight serious deficiencies in oversight. We urge the NIH, NSF, and the University of Michigan to promptly take measures to safeguard our laboratories and national security," a spokesperson for the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party stated, as cited by the TNR report.

In addition to the China committee led by Representative John Moolenaar, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology are also conducting the inquiry. The chairpersons of these committees are Representatives Tim Walberg and Brian Stone. The 25 Republican signatories of the letters also included Representatives Elise Stefanik, Neal Dunn, and Virginia Foxx.

Liu and Jian faced charges in Michigan earlier this month for smuggling a harmful, crop-destroying fungus called Fusarium graminearum. This incident raised significant concerns regarding security lapses in university research.

In court documentation, the Justice Department referenced academic studies indicating that the fungus leads to crop diseases affecting wheat, barley, maize, and corn, resulting in economic damages amounting to billions of dollars each year, while the FBI cited academic sources describing it as a "potential agroterrorism weapon."

These arrests occurred after the Trump administration declared it would take strong action to revoke visas for Chinese students linked to the CCP who were studying in critical technology fields. This hardline stance was later softened by US President Donald Trump amid trade discussions with China. Liu and Jian have both recently been associated with the University of Michigan's Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory, as noted in the letters.

Liu is also identified as a researcher backed by China's "Hundred Talents Program" on the website of Zhejiang University, according to the letters. "The Hundred Talents Program is a talent recruitment initiative sponsored by the Chinese government that, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 'aims to attract a younger talent pool' of individuals who exhibit 'internationally-recognised expertise,'" the letter states, as mentioned by the TNR report.

Concerns surrounding the Chinese government's talent programs primarily relate to allegations of intellectual property and research theft from American universities by Beijing. The letter further indicates that Liu has benefited from other Chinese government funding initiatives, including a grant from Zhejiang province to advance his work on Fusarium this year.

Shortly after the initial accusations against Liu and Jian were made, federal agents indicted a third Chinese national, Chengxuan Han, for reportedly smuggling roundworms into the US for use by recipients at the University of Michigan in what seems to be an unrelated case.

Han serves as the party secretary of a CCP branch for students at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, which, like Zhejiang University, is overseen by SASTIND, according to a letter from House members, as reported by TNR.

In general, the lawmakers cautioned: "These incidents underscore potential instances of non-compliance and other weaknesses within the US research security framework despite years of federal efforts."

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