‘Worse Than Covid’: Expert Warns of Toxic Fungus Smuggled From China

A leading China expert has sounded alarm about what he thinks may be an impending agroterrorism danger posed by a poisonous crop fungus smuggled from China into the US. Gordon G Chang, the author of China Is Going to War, opined that if nothing is done, the consequences might exceed the effect of Covid-19.

Speaking to Fox News, Chang stated, “The only way you can stop this is to cut diplomatic relations with China. And I know people say that’s extreme, but we are being inundated.”

Suspected Smuggling Incident

Two Chinese citizens, Zunyong Liu and Yunqing Jian, have been charged with importing Fusarium graminearum, a recognized crop-injuring fungus, into the United States in July of 2024, according to a criminal complaint by the FBI. The Department of Justice reported the fungus to be a harmful pathogen that can be weaponised as part of agricultural terrorism. The fungus is recognized to induce “head blight” on crops and causes billions of dollars in economic losses globally.

Agricultural Experts Disagree on Severity

Still, agricultural scientists have protested the bioterror theory. The fungus has been in the U.S. for more than a century and does not pose much danger to public safety, according to experts, as reported by Reuters. Fungicides, resistant crop varieties, and regular testing can help contain its effect effectively.

It would be a rather bad weapon as a weapon,” said Jessica Rutkoski, crop sciences professor and geneticist at the University of Illinois.

Scientists explained that the fungus primarily infests wheat and barley crops in rainy seasons, and the poisonous byproduct, vomitoxin, is heavily regulated through the food supply chain. “We have a long tradition of controlling epidemics of scab,” added Andrew Friskop, plant pathologist at North Dakota State University.

‘Worse Than Covid’

In spite of assurances from science, Chang delivered a dire prophecy: “We are going to get hit someday. We are going to get hit really hard, not with Covid, not with fentanyl, but maybe with something worse.” He also suggested that the couple in question be held at Guantanamo Bay, drawing parallels with an act of war.

Chang also emphasized China’s continued belligerent stance under President Xi Jinping, stating, “Xi Jinping incessantly talks about going to war and is mobilizing all of Chinese society to go to war.” He quoted the People’s Daily in 2019, which declared a “people’s war” on America.

What they are doing with their strident anti-Americanism is creating a rationale to strike our country,” he warned. Chang also remembered the time when Americans in all 50 states received unwanted seeds from China in 2020, and it could have been done to insert invasive species to U.S. agriculture.

Although the incident has been raising alarm among geopolitical commentators such as Chang, agricultural scientists have been optimistic about the safety procedures already in place and have minimized concerns of a biological attack. The controversy nevertheless indicates tensions between scientific estimates and national security narratives.