CCP Agroterrorism Threat Exploits Vulnerable US Universities

Udumbara Udumbara
Jun 13, 2025 - 10:05 Updated: Jun 13, 2025 - 09:52
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CCP Agroterrorism Threat Exploits Vulnerable US Universities
Commentary

A China-linked agroterror plot involving a U.S. university reveals how student visas remain a critical weak point in America’s national security.

U.S. federal authorities on June 3 charged two graduate students from China, Jian Yunqing and Liu Zunyong, with allegedly smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen into the United States.

The pathogen, Fusarium graminearum, is a fungus known to cause head blight in key crops—including wheat, barley, maize, and rice—triggering billions of dollars in global agricultural losses each year.

The fungus also produces toxins harmful to humans and livestock, such as vomitoxin and zearalenone, which can cause vomiting, liver damage, reproductive issues, and more. Due to its capacity for widespread destruction, it is classified in scientific literature as a potential agroterrorism weapon.

According to the Department of Justice, Liu, a research fellow at the University of Michigan, was arrested in Detroit after allegedly attempting to smuggle the Fusarium graminearum into the United States via Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July 2024. Although he initially denied knowledge of the samples, Liu later admitted he had intentionally concealed them in tissue paper inside his luggage, fully aware that they were prohibited, according to prosecutors.

Liu told the authorities that his goal was to deliver the fungus to a laboratory at the University of Michigan, where his girlfriend, Jian Yunqing, was conducting research. Both had previously worked on Fusarium graminearum in China and received funding from Beijing, according to court documents.

Investigators recovered electronic communications that allegedly revealed the two discussed research being carried out at the lab and the shipping of biological materials for research in the United States. Additional evidence found on Jian’s electronic devices included confirmation of her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party, according to prosecutors.

Both individuals face multiple charges, including conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, making false statements, and visa fraud. Jian was arrested and appeared in federal court in Detroit, while Liu was denied entry into the United States and returned to China. With no extradition treaty between the two countries, further prosecution is unlikely unless Liu returns to U.S. soil.

Federal prosecutors described the case as a grave national security threat. U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon said in a statement that it was “indicative of the gravest concerns,” warning of the danger posed by foreign nationals exploiting American research institutions to carry out covert operations on U.S. soil.

The University of Michigan issued a statement on June 3, affirming that it had not received any Chinese state funding for the research linked to the accused and that it is cooperating fully with federal law enforcement in its ongoing investigation.

While CCP-linked espionage in U.S. universities has been common since Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s rise to power, this case is unique—instead of stealing American research to smuggle out of the country, the suspects allegedly attempted to bring a dangerous bioweapon into the United States.

The incident highlights longstanding concerns from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about agroterrorism. The FBI has warned that the U.S. agricultural system—due to its size, openness, and critical role in national stability—is a prime target for biological attacks.
In a 2005 testimony, the FBI emphasized that terrorists have considered America’s food and agriculture sector a vulnerable point, capable of triggering economic crises and social instability. DHS likewise classifies the sector as critical national infrastructure, accounting for roughly 20 percent of the U.S. economy, and has identified agroterrorism as a serious threat requiring coordinated prevention efforts.
The FBI, DHS, Department of Agriculture, and Food and Drug Administration jointly launched the Strategic Partnership Program Agroterrorism Initiative to address these risks. This program works with private industry and state governments to identify vulnerabilities, enhance information sharing, and develop strategies to prevent the introduction of harmful pathogens into the food supply.

These concerns have intensified in light of reports from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, which said that China is collecting DNA data to advance its economic, security, and foreign policy goals. While genetic sampling during outbreaks can aid biosurveillance, it also raises serious cybersecurity threats as genomic data from humans, crops, and livestock become increasingly traceable. Additionally, individuals, farmers, and retailers face rising risks of being targeted for malicious purposes.

Despite efforts by the DHS, FBI, and other agencies to prevent CCP espionage and agroterrorism, U.S. universities remain a soft target, a backdoor through which hostile actors continue to access sensitive research. As recently as March 2025, the chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP warned that “America’s student visa system has become a Trojan horse for Beijing,” allowing Chinese nationals unrestricted access to cutting-edge research programs with dual-use military applications.

Intelligence officials and lawmakers alike have emphasized that American campuses are being exploited as systematic pipelines for transferring sensitive technologies. The University of Michigan case should serve as a warning. If Chinese agents continue to receive student visas, American academia will remain an incubator for the CCP’s technological and strategic ambitions.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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