US government arrests Chinese nationals for smuggling dangerous bio pathogen into the country

Two Chinese nationals on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, have been formally accused of attempting to smuggle a dangerous biological fungus into the United States.

This is according to officials who have labeled the pathogen as a significant threat to national security.

Online media reports say the individuals involved are Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, who face multiple charges including conspiracy, smuggling goods, making false statements, and visa fraud.

This is as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan on Tuesday.

The criminal complaint states that Liu attempted to bring the fungus into the country via Detroit Metropolitan Airport with the intention of studying it at a University of Michigan laboratory.

Jian, who is Liu’s girlfriend, was reportedly working at the same university laboratory.

The fungus at the center of the case is known as Fusarium graminearum.

It is a plant pathogen notorious for causing a devastating disease that affects major cereal crops such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice.

The disease can lead to widespread crop failure, inflicting severe economic damage.

Moreover, the fungus produces toxins that, if ingested through contaminated food, can cause serious health problems including vomiting and liver damage.

U.S. authorities have described Fusarium graminearum in scientific terms as a “potential agroterrorism weapon”.

This is supposedly due to its capacity to destroy vital agricultural resources.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office highlighted that this fungus causes billions of dollars in global economic losses every year.

It underscores its significance as a biological threat.

The complaint further alleges that Jian received financial support from the Chinese government for her research on this pathogen in China.

It also claims that she is a member of the Chinese Communist Party, adding a political dimension to the case.

United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. spoke on the matter.

He emphasized the severity of the allegations and labeling them as among the “gravest national security concerns.”

He stated:

“These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”

The investigation into this case was a collaborative effort involving the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This reflected the seriousness with which U.S. agencies are treating this alleged biosecurity threat.

Jian is scheduled to appear in court in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday.

Efforts to obtain comments from the University of Michigan and the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., were ongoing.

This case arises amid heightened tensions between the United States and China.

Just days prior to these charges, the Trump administration announced plans to “aggressively” revoke visas of Chinese nationals studying in the U.S., citing national security risks.

Additionally, Beijing has accused Washington of “severely violating” a recently agreed-upon trade truce brokered in Geneva last month.

It had supposedly involved mutual reductions of tariffs on imported goods.

In a related development earlier this week, a Chinese student at the University of Michigan was charged with illegally voting in the 2024 U.S. election, adding further strain to the already tense relations between the two countries.

In summary, the smuggling case against Jian and Liu highlights ongoing concerns about biological threats and espionage linked to China, particularly involving scientific research and access to sensitive facilities in the United States.

The incident underscores the broader context of deteriorating U.S.-China relations, marked by increased scrutiny of Chinese nationals in America.

This is especially those involved in academia and research fields with potential security implications.

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