FBI Arrests Chinese National Loyal to the Communist Chinese Party for Smuggling In an "Agroterrorism Agent" Capable of Wiping Out Billions of Dollars Worth of Foodcrops

This is a serious, serious escalation.

FBI Director Kash Patel @FBIDirectorKash

New... I can confirm that the FBI arrested a Chinese national within the United States who allegedly smuggled a dangerous biological pathogen into the country.

The individual, Yunqing Jian, is alleged to have smuggled a dangerous fungus called "Fusarium graminearum," which is an agroterrorism agent, into the U.S. to research at the University of Michigan, where she works.

This fungus can cause a disease called "head blight," a disease of wheat, barley, maize, and rice, causing significant health issues in both humans and livestock. It is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year.

Evidence also indicates Jian had expressed loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party and had received funding from the Chinese government for similar work on this pathogen in China.

Jian's boyfriend, Zunyong Liu -- also charged in the complaint -- works at a Chinese university where he conducts research on the same pathogen. Liu is alleged to have first lied, then admitted, to also smuggling Fusarium graminearum into America--through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport--so that he too could conduct research the University of Michigan.

Both individuals have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud.

This case is a sobering reminder that the CCP is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have grave consequences... putting American lives and our economy at serious risk.

Your FBI will continue working tirelessly to be on guard against it.

Our @FBIDetroit team did excellent work in this case partnering with @CBP.

Justice will be done.

I don't know if Trump blames China for this. It might be a case of another of these Frankenvirus maniacs just deciding to play dice with human existence. Trump said he had a "very good call" with Chinese tyrant Xi over trade terms.

President Trump on Thursday announced he held a lengthy and productive call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, focused "almost entirely on TRADE." Trump said both sides will soon send top officials to a follow-up meeting, location TBD.

Key Details:

Trump described the call with Xi as "a very good phone call...discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal," adding the conversation "resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries."

He named key U.S. representatives for the upcoming trade discussions: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Trump confirmed the discussion excluded any talk of Russia, Ukraine, or Iran, stating, "The conversation was focused almost entirely on TRADE."

Update: Last week, the State Department announced that it will begin revoking Chinese "student" visas.

One day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the U.S. would scale back visas to Chinese students, a department spokesperson emphasized that the Trump administration would fight back against China's "exploitation" of American research and intellectual property.

Spokesperson for the Department of State Tammy Bruce delivered her warning against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during a press briefing on Thursday.

[RELATED: Education Department launches investigation into UPenn over foreign donations]

"The United States, I further can say here, will not tolerate the CCP's exploitation of U.S. universities or theft of U.S. research, intellectual property, or technologies to grow its military power, conduct intelligence collection, or repress voices of opposition," Bruce said.

In her opening remarks, Bruce noted that initiatives like pulling visas from CCP-linked students are part of the department's updated "America First" reorganizing.

"Every visa adjudication is a national security decision - every single one of them," Bruce continued.

The spokesperson noted China's extensive role in "exploiting" American intellectual property and research, adding that the State Department's latest strategy is "one way that [the department] can certainly try to mitigate that issue."

In a brief press release on Wednesday, Secretary Rubio said that revoking student visas would place "America First, not China."

"I think everyone who's here on a visa has to recognize ... that America takes their visa seriously, that vetting is not a one-time process - it's continuing," Bruce said.

posted by Ace at 01:19 PM

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