Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following
生物学的病原体の密輸試みた疑い、中国人研究者２人を訴追 米検察
2025.06.04 Wed posted at 18:44 JST
（ＣＮＮ） 米ミシガン大学の実験室で研究する目的で生物学的病原体の密輸を試みたとして、中国人研究者２人が訴追されたことが、３日に提出された訴追請求状で明らかになった。
ミシガン州東部地区連邦検察によると、ジアン・ユンチン容疑者（３３）とリウ・ズンヨン容疑者（３４）は、中国から「フザリウム・グラミネアルム」と呼ばれる真菌を持ち込んだとして、共謀や密輸、虚偽申告、ビザ（査証）関連詐欺の疑いで訴追された。
連邦捜査局（ＦＢＩ）の宣誓供述書ではフザリウム・グラミネアルムについて、トウモロコシやコメ、大麦のような特定の植物に病気を引き起こす「潜在的な農業テロ兵器」と形容されている。「毎年世界中で数十億ドル規模の経済損失をもたらしている」とされる。
今回の訴追は、トランプ政権が中国人留学生のビザを取り消す方針を示す中で行われた。ルビオ国務長官は先週、特に「中国共産党とのつながりが疑われたり、重要分野を専攻していたりする」学生が対象になると説明。国務省はここ数ヶ月、米国内の学術関係者による不正行為の可能性を調査しており、その中にはカエルの胚のサンプルを密輸したとされるハーバード大学の研究者も含まれている。
ＣＮＮはジアン容疑者を担当するミシガン州東部地区の連邦公選弁護人にコメントを求めている。ジアン容疑者はＦＢＩによって逮捕され、現在も勾留中。検察の報道官によると、リウ容疑者は現在米国にはいないという。
宣誓供述書によると、リウ容疑者は中国・浙江大学の研究者で、２０２４年７月に観光ビザで渡航した際、フザリウム・グラミネアルムの複数のサンプルを持ち込もうと試みた。持ち込み許可は申請していなかっとされる。
ジアン容疑者はリウ容疑者の交際相手で、ミシガン大学の博士研究員。２２年８月からはテキサス州の大学でも働いていた。両大学に在籍中、浙江大学でのフザリウム・グラミネアルムの研究を巡り中国政府から資金提供を受けていた証拠が見つかったという。
Translation
US prosecutors indict two Chinese researchers for
attempting to smuggle biological pathogens
2025.06.04 Wed posted at 18:44 JST
According to the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Jian Yunqing (33) and Liu Zunyong (34) were indicted on charges of conspiracy, smuggling, false reporting and visa fraud for bringing a fungus called "Fusarium graminearum" from China.
In an FBI affidavit, Fusarium graminearum was described as a "potential agricultural terrorism weapon" that might cause disease in certain plants such as corn, rice and barley. It was said it might "cause billions of dollars of economic loss worldwide each year."
The charges came as the Trump administration planned to revoke visas for Chinese students studying abroad. Secretary of State Rubio said last week that the administration would aim at visas specifically at students "with suspected ties to the Chinese Communist Party or majoring in critical fields." The State Department had been investigating possible misconduct by academics in the U.S. in recent months, including a Harvard University researcher who allegedly smuggled frog embryo samples.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), FBI Director Patel said the case "is a vivid example of the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to infiltrate U.S. institutions and target at our nation's food supply, with potentially significant ramifications." The affidavit did not elaborate on what the researchers intended to study Fusarium graminearum.
CNN had reached out to suspect Jiang's federal public defender for the Eastern District of Michigan for comments. Suspect Jian was arrested by the FBI and remained in custody. A prosecutor's spokesman said Liu currently was not in the U.S.
According to the affidavit, Liu was a researcher at Zhejiang
University in China and attempted to bring in several samples of Fusarium
graminearum when he traveled to the U.S. on a tourist visa in July 2024. The
permission for bringing in had not been applied for.
Jian is Liu's partner and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan. She had also worked at a university in Texas since August 2022. Evidence was found that while enrolled at both universities, she received funding from the Chinese government for her research on Fusarium graminearum at Zhejiang University.
So, in
the US, two Chinese researchers are indicted for attempting to smuggle
biological pathogens into the country. The State Department has been
investigating possible misconduct by academics in the U.S. in recent months. Apparently
the US is tightening its monitoring over academic research activities done
by foreign students in critical fields.
Note:
Fusarium graminearum is a filamentous ascomycete
fungus that can cause a disease in wheat, barley, maize and rice and wipe out
crops. It grows as thread-like hyphae and produces both sexual spores
(ascospores) within structures called perithecia (teleomorph stage: Gibberella
zeae) and asexual spores (macroconidia). (ChatGPT)
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