Detroit, June 3, 2025 – Two Chinese nationals have been charged in Detroit, US, with smuggling a ‘dangerous biological pathogen’. They are accused of planning to use the pathogen in a laboratory at the University of Michigan in the US. This comes at a time of rising tensions between China and the US on various issues.
The US Department of Justice filed formal charges against the two Chinese nationals on Tuesday (June 3). The accused are Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34.1 They are charged with serious charges such as conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements and visa fraud.
Pathogen charged:
The US Department of Justice said the pathogen is a fungus called ‘Fusarium graminearum’. Scientific studies have described the fungus as a "potential agro-terrorism weapon."
The fungus causes a disease called head blight in crops such as wheat, barley, corn and rice, which causes billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year. In addition, the fungus's toxins can cause problems such as vomiting, liver damage and reproductive defects in humans and livestock.
Details of the investigation and charges:
An FBI criminal complaint states that researcher Liu Junyong, who is currently in China, brought the fungus in his backpack when he came to the United States in July 2024 to meet his girlfriend, Jian Yunqing. Liu initially lied but later admitted that he brought the pathogen to the United States to conduct research at a laboratory at the University of Michigan, where his girlfriend worked. Their electronic communications also confirmed this information.
FBI Director Cash Patel confirmed on social media X-A (formerly Twitter) that Jian Yunqing had been detained in the United States. He also warned that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is “working tirelessly” to infiltrate American institutions and target the US food supply, which could have “devastating consequences.”
The indictment also claims that Jian Yunqing has declared allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party and received funding from the Chinese government to research the same pathogen.
University of Michigan Response:
The University of Michigan expressed concern about the incident and said that it “strongly condemns any actions that could cause harm, threaten national security, or undermine the university’s important public service mission.” It pledged to fully cooperate with federal law enforcement.
The incident has heightened tensions between the US and China and heightened US national security concerns. This comes at a time when the Trump administration has vowed to strictly cancel Chinese student visas on national security grounds.
