Harvard chemistry chair Charles Lieber is charged with lying about China ties
- Lieber allegedly received millions of dollars from Chinese government and failed to disclose participation in China’s Thousand Talents Plan
- Two Chinese researchers working in Boston charged separately with lying about links to Chinese army and government
A Harvard University department chair and two Chinese nationals who were researchers at Boston University and a Boston hospital were charged on Tuesday for lying about their links to the Chinese government.
The charges are part of an aggressive effort by US authorities to block what they say are Chinese efforts to stealing American scientific and technological advances.
“This is a very carefully directed effort by the Chinese government to fill what it views as its own strategic gaps,” said Andrew Lelling, US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, as he revealed the charges in a news conference.
Prosecutors charged Charles Lieber, chair of Harvard University’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, with lying about his participation in China’s Thousand Talents Plan, which aims to attract research specialists working overseas.
Two Chinese researchers were charged with being agents of a foreign government.