KABUL: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the arrest of a Chinese citizen suspected of smuggling a dangerous fungus (Fusarium graminearum) into the United States.
Kash Patel, the head of the FBI, in a statement on his X, said today that the individual, identified as Yunching Jian, is an operative of the Chinese Communist Party who secretly smuggled a “bioterrorism” agent to the University of Michigan for research purposes.
The FBI head noted that this fungus can promote “head blight” by contaminating wheat, rice, and barley, posing serious health risks to humans and livestock.
The statement also indicated that Jian received financial support from the Chinese government for smuggling this fungus into the U.S.
Part of the statement reads: “This case is a chilling reminder that the Chinese Communist Party is continuously working to infiltrate American institutions with its operatives and researchers, targeting our food supply—something that could have serious consequences for human life and the U.S. economy.”
This comes as the U.S. State Department recently announced its decision to revoke visas for over 280,000 Chinese students residing in the country.