'Agroterrorism' arrest in US spurs calls to bring back China Initiative

FBI accuses 2 Chinese nationals of smuggling crop-killing fungus

20250604 CORN FIELD

The biological pathogens smuggled into the U.S. by two Chinese nationals could have destroyed corn crops like this one in Jerseyville, Illinois. © Reuters

KEN MORIYASU

WASHINGTON -- U.S. authorities have charged two Chinese nationals with smuggling a fungus that could cause significant damage to crops of wheat, barley, maize and rice and has been described as a "potential agroterrorism weapon."

Tuesday's announcement has triggered calls here to revive the China Initiative, which was established by the U.S. Department of Justice in the first administration of President Donald Trump to combat industrial espionage. The program was ended in February 2022 by then-President Joe Biden's administration amid accusations of racial discrimination against Chinese and Chinese American scientists.

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