Two Chinese scientists, Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu, have been charged with allegedly bringing a dangerous fungus to the United States. They planned to study the fungus at a US university, the Department of Justice said.
The fungus called Fusarium graminearum causes disease in crops such as wheat, corn, and rice, and is considered a potential agroterrorism weapon. It causes significant damage to agriculture every year.
According to the lawsuit, Liu deceived authorities before admitting to smuggling to do research at the University of Michigan, where his fiancée, Jian, works. The US Attorney described it as a national security issue, especially since Jian is a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
On the other hand, there is a Russian scientist from Harvard who could potentially be deported because he did not declare the biological samples in his bag after returning from Paris.
