FBI Director Kash Patel has sounded a stark warning about the dangers posed by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) covert infiltration into U.S. research institutions.
His concerns were spotlighted amid the recent charges against two Chinese nationals accused of smuggling a toxic crop pathogen into the U.S., highlighting a troubling national security threat tied to federally funded scientific projects.
Yunqing Jian, 33 and Zunyong Liu, 34, were charged with bringing Fusarium graminearum—a fungus known to cause devastating crop diseases like wheat head blight—into the U.S. without declaring it.
Classified as a potential agroterrorism weapon, the pathogen poses a serious threat to American agriculture and food security.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Liu attempted to enter the U.S. in July 2024 carrying red plant material in his backpack, Conservative Brief reports.
Initially providing false statements to Customs and Border Protection officers about the material, Liu eventually admitted to smuggling it with the intent to conduct research at the University of Michigan laboratory where his partner, Jian, was employed.
Both Jian and Liu worked at a University of Michigan lab specializing in plant immunity, directed by senior researchers Ping He and Libo Shan—Chinese-born scientists who received more than $7.6 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding across two major projects.
Research papers connected to these grants were co-authored by Jian and Liu, tying their work to taxpayer-supported programs, Just the News reports.
The DOJ revealed that Jian joined the lab in 2022 after completing her doctorate in China.
She was financially supported by the Chinese government’s postdoctoral exchange program and, according to evidence found on her personal devices, demonstrated loyalty to the CCP.
Investigators also uncovered private WeChat conversations between Jian and Liu discussing methods to smuggle seeds and biological samples into the U.S.
In one message, Jian described hiding the seeds in the insoles of her boots—a clear indication of deliberate efforts to bypass customs.
“The CCP’s quiet infiltration of our research ecosystem is a direct threat to our national security, biosecurity and economic independence,” Erica Knight, an adviser to FBI Director Patel, told Just the News.
“Under his leadership, we will aggressively root out every trace of corrupt foreign influence.”
After being turned away at the border, Liu returned to China, where he continues research on similar pathogens at a university.
Both face multiple federal charges, including conspiracy, smuggling, false statements and visa fraud, according to CB.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R), chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, emphasized the ongoing risks.
“It has been obvious for years that Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins not only funded dangerous research, but directed funding to scientists loyal to China, not America,” Johnson told Just the News.
He called for a full investigation into how these funding decisions compromised U.S. security.
The University of Michigan condemned any efforts to harm national security but denied receiving funding from China for the research involving the accused.
“We strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security, or undermine the university’s critical public mission,” a university spokesperson stated.
This case is far from isolated. The University of Michigan has been linked to other incidents involving Chinese nationals suspected of espionage.
In 2023, five Chinese students were charged after being caught photographing military vehicles near a major National Guard training base.
A 2020 case involved Chinese students arrested for photographing a naval air station in Florida.
Robert Charles, a former State Department official, warned the recent pathogen smuggling may be just the beginning of Chinese efforts to target America’s food supply.
“Food security is a top national security concern for both China and the U.S.,” Charles explained. “This fungus incident is a canary in the coal mine.”
Jian and Liu’s charges underscore a growing national security challenge—one FBI Director Patel is determined to confront as Chinese influence continues to threaten American scientific research and economic independence.
