The University of Michigan is facing a federal investigation after two Chinese scientists with ties to the university were separately charged with attempting to smuggle biological materials into the United States.
The U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday that it has opened a formal probe into the university’s foreign funding disclosures and research collaborations, citing “highly disturbing criminal charges” that point to potential vulnerabilities to foreign interference, particularly from China.
The move follows the arrests of Jian Yunqing and Han Chengxuan in June. Jian was allegedly caught attempting to smuggle a toxic fungus into the U.S., while Han is accused of shipping undeclared biological materials from China to a University of Michigan lab. Both scientists were affiliated with the university.
“These incidents raise significant national security concerns,” said Paul Moore, the department’s chief investigative counsel. “Despite the University of Michigan’s history of downplaying its vulnerabilities to malign foreign influence, recent reports reveal that UM’s research laboratories remain vulnerable to sabotage.”
The investigation demands detailed financial records from the university and greater transparency around international partnerships, particularly with institutions based in China. The Education Department accused Michigan of providing “incomplete, inaccurate and untimely” disclosures regarding its foreign funding.
This latest inquiry is part of a broader effort, initiated during the Trump administration, to scrutinize the flow of foreign money—especially from China—into American research institutions. Similar investigations have been launched at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and UC Berkeley.
Republican lawmakers have also pressured universities to sever research ties with Chinese institutions, alleging that China exploits such relationships to advance its own technological and military capabilities. Under pressure from House Republicans, the University of Michigan ended a research partnership with a Shanghai-based university in January.
In response to the arrests in June, the University of Michigan issued a statement condemning any actions that threaten national security and pledged to review its research security protocols. However, the Education Department expressed concern over what it views as a dismissive attitude by some university officials.
A letter from the department singled out Ann Chih Lin, director of the university’s Center for Chinese Studies, for comments suggesting the threat of technology theft from China may be overstated. “Lin’s apparent indifference to the national security concerns of the largest single source of funding for UM’s annual research expenditures – the American taxpayer – is particularly unsettling,” the letter read.
Under U.S. federal law, universities are required to report all foreign gifts and contracts totaling $250,000 or more. While enforcement was lax until recent years, the Trump administration began cracking down on underreporting. Though many of those investigations were closed under the Biden administration, the effort has seen renewed momentum amid bipartisan national security concerns.
University leaders and education experts warn, however, against allowing fears of espionage to lead to blanket suspicion of Chinese scholars, noting that only a small number have been implicated in misconduct. China remains the second-largest source of international students in the U.S., with over 270,000 Chinese students enrolled in American institutions during the 2023–24 academic year—accounting for roughly a quarter of the total international student population.
