The facts take place in a context of heightened tensions between China and the United States. A Chinese researcher, accused of having concealed her links with the army of her country to obtain an American visa, took refuge at the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to escape arrest.
"Four people were recently charged with visa fraud because they lied about their membership in the Chinese military" in order to obtain residence permits allowing them to conduct research or study in the country, he said. this Thursday the Ministry of Justice in a press release. "Three have been arrested and the FBI is looking for the fourth who is a fugitive currently in the shelter of the Chinese consulate in San Francisco. "
Researcher in a university laboratory
The fugitive would be called Juan Tang. A specialist in cancer treatments, she had been working since January in a laboratory at the University of California. To obtain her residence permit, she had assured that she had never been linked to the Chinese army. But, according to her indictment, investigators discovered photos of her in uniform and established that she worked for a Chinese military hospital.
She took shelter at the San Francisco consulate after being questioned on June 20 by federal police, who also conducted a search of her home. On comparable charges, medical researcher Xin Wang was arrested on June 7 as he was preparing to leave the United States. US police also arrested Chen Song, a brain specialist, and Kaikai Zhao, an artificial intelligence student, on July 18.
"Persecutions" according to Beijing
Without confirming or denying the flight of its national, Beijing blamed Washington, accused of "politically persecuting" Chinese students and academics. "We call on the United States to stop using any kind of excuse to restrict, harass or get rid of Chinese researchers," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. "China will take the necessary measures to protect the security and legitimate rights of Chinese citizens," he added.
The police and the American justice system have been increasing for several months the prosecutions against Chinese suspected of engaging in economic or industrial espionage. On Tuesday, the authorities again announced the indictment of two Chinese suspected of having carried out cyber attacks, in particular against companies involved in the search for an anti-Covid vaccine. The United States also ordered Beijing to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, accused of being an "epicenter" of spies.
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