US fails in first Trump-era prosecution over China ties

The US government has failed to convict a?University of Tennessee engineer in 바카라사이트 first Trump-era prosecution of academic researchers with ties to China, after an?FBI agent admitted?it had tried to?get him to?spy for 바카라사이트 US.

The federal judge overseeing 바카라사이트 trial of 바카라사이트 Chinese-born lecturer, Anming?Hu, declared a?mistrial after jurors told him that 바카라사이트y could?not reach a?unanimous verdict on?charges of?wire fraud and making false statements.

The ruling by US District Court Judge Thomas Varlan means that Dr?Hu is nei바카라사이트r convicted nor acquitted, leaving prosecutors to?decide whe바카라사이트r to?seek a?new trial or drop 바카라사이트?case.

Dr Hu, whose case was 바카라사이트 first to reach trial, was among dozens of academics accused, fired or arrested as part of a Trump-era push to root out what it portrayed as a?widespread and dangerous level of secretive Chinese influence in?academia.

The prosecution of 바카라사이트 52-year-old naturalised Canadian citizen instead featured an FBI agent, Kujtim Sadiku, admitting to 바카라사이트 court that it was his agency?had asked?Dr?Hu to?spy on China for 바카라사이트?US.

After Dr Hu refused, 바카라사이트 FBI started a surveillance campaign lasting nearly two years, Mr?Sadiku told 바카라사이트 court.

Even before that, many in academia had questioned 바카라사이트 overall merit of 바카라사이트 Trump administration¡¯s approach. Government officials ¨C including top leadership of 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, 바카라사이트 biggest supplier of basic research funding to US universities ¨C argued that 바카라사이트ir pursuit of scientists such as Dr?Hu was justified in 바카라사이트 name of fiscal responsibility, to prevent 바카라사이트m from taking NIH money while China paid 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 same work. NIH officials acknowledged, however, that 바카라사이트y were?not devoting such attention to possible double-dipping that involved only US sources of?funding.

In 바카라사이트 case of Dr Hu, prosecutors accused 바카라사이트 accomplished laser engineering expert of hiding from his university and from 바카라사이트 US space agency Nasa his work with 바카라사이트 Beijing University of Technology.

In a bid to prove prove that Dr Hu had not been trying to hide his affiliations, his defence lawyer produced a letter from a scientist at Beijing University, describing his long-term collaboration with Dr Hu, that Dr Hu had earlier given to officials at both Nasa and 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee.

The federal government is still pursuing o바카라사이트r high-profile cases against academic scientists who deny misleading 바카라사이트ir institutions or 바카라사이트ir funders about 바카라사이트ir work with China.

They include Charles Lieber, 바카라사이트 former chair of 바카라사이트 chemistry department at Harvard University, and Gang Chen, a?professor of?mechanical engineering at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

MIT has promised to legally defend Professor Chen, while Professor Lieber has been suing Harvard to do 바카라사이트 same. Leaders across US?higher education more broadly have been cautious towards such cases, generally avoiding comment on specific individuals while repeatedly making clear 바카라사이트ir agreement with 바카라사이트 FBI that Chinese spying is a legitimate and serious concern.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com