Chinese Couple Smuggle Pathogens into US, Experts Warn of CCP Infiltration Threat
Recently, a Chinese couple was charged with smuggling “dangerous biological pathogens” into the United States, with the intention of conducting research at a US university. Experts on China have warned that as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to infiltrate US campuses, this incident should be a wake-up call for national security.
EtIndonesia. On Tuesday (3/6/2025), the US Department of Justice announced criminal charges against two Chinese nationals, Jian Yunqing and Liu Zunyong, on charges including conspiracy, smuggling goods into the country, false statements, and visa fraud.
The two were accused of smuggling a fungus called Fusarium graminearum, which academic literature has categorized as a “potential weapon of agricultural terrorism.” Federal prosecutors explained that this fungus causes “head blight” in cereal crops (such as wheat and corn), which causes billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year. This fungus also produces toxins that can cause vomiting, liver damage, and interfere with reproduction in humans and livestock.
According to the indictment, Jian Yunqing was known to have received funds from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government to research the pathogen, and his electronic devices contained documents showing his identity as a member of the Chinese Communist Party and an oath of loyalty. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Liu Zunyong, who also conducted similar research at a Chinese university, was caught in July last year carrying samples of the fungus during a customs inspection, and admitted that the intention was to take it to the University of Michigan laboratory where Jian worked.
Michael Sobolik, a China expert, warned that from smuggling fentanyl precursors to failing to stop the spread of COVID-19, the CCP is now trying to use biological pathogens to harm the American people.
The case has also raised public concerns about the infiltration of Chinese nationals into US universities. A report from Stanford University last month revealed that CCP spies may have infiltrated the campus and others across the country, with the aim of gathering intelligence.
Sobolik stressed that the US higher education system has long been dependent on CCP funding, and many Chinese students are being pressured to become informants for the CCP government. He called on US universities to recognize the real threat posed by the CCP and stop being the regime's accomplices. (Hui)
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