The Threat of Agroterrorism: Unpacking the Chinese Fungus Smuggling Case, By James Reed

In July 2024, a chilling incident at Detroit Metropolitan Airport thrust the issue of agroterrorism into the spotlight. Two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, were charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods, making false statements, and visa fraud after allegedly attempting to smuggle Fusarium graminearum, a fungus labelled a "potential agroterrorism weapon," into the United States. The case, centred around a University of Michigan laboratory, has sparked fears of bioweapons attacks and heightened U.S.-China tensions. But what does this incident reveal about the broader threat of Chinese bioweapons targeting the West, and how serious is the danger? Very.

Fusarium graminearum is no ordinary fungus. It causes Fusarium head blight, a devastating disease that ravages wheat, barley, maize, and rice, staple crops critical to global food security. The fungus produces shrivelled, discoloured kernels and releases deoxynivalenol (DON), or "vomitoxin," which can contaminate food supplies, causing vomiting, liver damage, and immune suppression in humans and livestock. Globally, it has inflicted billions of dollars in economic losses, with the U.S. alone losing nearly $3 billion since the 1990s.

Its potential as an agroterrorism weapon lies in its ability to disrupt agricultural economies and food chains. A deliberate introduction of aggressive or fungicide-resistant strains could cripple crop yields, spike food prices, and sow public panic.

The case began when Liu arrived at Detroit airport on a B2 tourist visa, claiming he was visiting Jian, his girlfriend and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan. Customs officers discovered four plastic bags of reddish plant material hidden in crumpled tissues in his backpack, along with a note in Chinese and filter paper with drawn circles. Liu initially denied knowledge of the material but later admitted it was Fusarium graminearum, intended for research at Jian's lab.

Jian, allegedly funded by the Chinese government for similar research in China and a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was cultivating the fungus without federal permits. Electronic communications suggest prior smuggling attempts, including a 2022 incident where Jian may have hidden biological material in her shoe. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. called the allegations a "grave national security concern," with FBI Director Kash Patel hinting at CCP targeting of the U.S. food supply. Jian faces court proceedings in Detroit, while Liu was deported to China.

The incident raises the spectre of agroterrorism, deliberate attacks on agriculture to destabilise economies and societies. A Chinese bioweapons strategy could involve:

Targeting Food Security: Introducing pathogens like Fusarium graminearum to disrupt crop production, particularly in agricultural hubs across the West. This could lead to food shortages and economic turmoil.

Exploiting Academic Access: Using universities as cover for pathogen research, as allegedly attempted here. Lax oversight of biological materials in academic labs makes them vulnerable.

Developing Enhanced Pathogens: Studying smuggled strains to create more virulent or resistant variants.

Health and Economic Impacts: Contaminating food with mycotoxins could strain healthcare systems, while crop losses could inflate prices and erode public trust.

The case unfolds against a backdrop of U.S.-China war preparations. The Trump administration's recent visa crackdowns on Chinese students and talk about CCP infiltration frame this incident as part of a broader threat. Posts on X amplify these fears, with users calling it "bio-warfare terrorism" and demanding stricter immigration controls. Bio-warfare, carrying on from Covid seems to be just the beginnings of the CCP assault upon the West.

Future Chinese communist agroterrorism strategy could involve:

Advanced Pathogens: Using rarer or engineered pathogens that are harder to control than Fusarium graminearum.

Sophisticated Delivery: Deploying drones, contaminated seeds, or infected livestock to spread pathogens covertly.

Economic Sabotage: Targeting key agricultural regions to disrupt global food markets, given the U.S.'s role as a grain exporter.

Public Health Crises: Introducing toxins or zoonotic pathogens to overwhelm healthcare systems.

The Jian-Liu case underscores the need for robust biosecurity measures, particularly in academic settings, and the need to strengthen the Trump administrations concern about Chinese nationalist students aligned with the CCP. Universities must strengthen oversight of biological materials, and governments should enhance screening at borders.

This incident is a wake-up call to address vulnerabilities in agricultural and laboratory systems, and is early evidence of a Chinese bioweapons attack. It is the shape of things to come. Australia take note.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gkdppymk4o

"Two Chinese nationals have been accused of smuggling a fungus into the US that officials describe as a "dangerous biological pathogen".

Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods, false statements, and visa fraud, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced on Tuesday.

The complaint alleges Mr Liu tried to smuggle the fungus through Detroit airport so he could study it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend, Ms Jian, worked.

The fungus called Fusarium graminearum can cause a disease in wheat, barley, maize and rice that can wipe out crops and lead to vomiting and liver damage if it gets into food.

The fungus is described in scientific literature as a "potential agroterrorism weapon", according to the US Attorney's Office, adding it is responsible for "billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year."

Officials further allege Ms Jian received funding from the Chinese government for her research on the pathogen in China. They also claim she is a member of the Chinese Communist Party.

United States Attorney Jerome F Gorgon Jr described the allegations as of the "gravest national security concerns".

"These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a 'potential agroterrorism weapon' into in the [sic] heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme."

The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and US Customs and Border Protection.

Ms Jian is due to appear in court in Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday.

The University of Michigan said in a statement to the BBC that it "has received no funding from the Chinese government in relation to research conducted by the accused individuals".

University officials are cooperating with law enforcement on the investigation and they "strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university's critical public mission", according to the statement.

Spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington DC Liu Pengyu told the BBC that he is not familiar with this specific case, but emphasized that Beijing "has always required overseas Chinese citizens to abide by local laws and regulations and will also resolutely safeguard their legitimate rights and interests".

The charges come amid strained relations between the US and China, and just days after the Trump administration vowed to "aggressively" revoke the visas of Chinese nationals studying in the US.

Beijing also said Washington "severely violated" a trade truce reached in Geneva last month, when both countries lowered tariffs on goods imported from each other.

Earlier this week, a Chinese student at the University of Michigan was charged for illegally voting in the 2024 election.