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Excuse me? This is not an accurate summary of the article at all. It's in fact exactly a spy plot: Wang was "instructed by his supervisor, the director of his m

Excuse me? This is not an accurate summary of the article at all. It's in fact exactly a spy plot: Wang was "instructed by his supervisor, the director of his military university lab in the PRC, to observe the layout of the UCSF lab and bring back information on how to replicate it in China".

HarryHirsch 6y ago
observe the layout of the UCSF lab and bring back information on how to replicate it in China That's the purpose of a J-1 visa, isn't it? The fellow was on a scientific exchange program. It's all very mystifying what the administration is trying to signal.
- hailwren 6y ago
  This argument was specifically addressed in the source. 'According to court documents, Wang was still employed by the PLA while he was studying in the United States and he made false statements about his military service in his visa application in order to increase the likelihood that he would receive his J1 visa.' The allegation is that he would not have been on a scientific exchange program had it been clear that it was a scientific exchange with the PLA.
  - HarryHirsch 6y ago
    The fellow did serve as an officer in the PLA and indicated as much on his visa application. Nothing would be easier for the Chinese military than to approach former officers and encourage them to join a university and apply for a scientific exchange visa in the US. If there was genuine concern the visa would have been sent to administrative processing long ago and then denied. It doesn't make sense, especially since the researcher will have shared what he did with the intelligence officer at his installation. Any officer of any country would have done that. Meanwhile the US charge him with nothing worse than visa fraud. They could at least point to the stolen IP. It's all very baffling.
    - chiph 6y ago
      He isn't a former officer. He is a current officer. Being charged with espionage is a very real possibility.
- unishark 6y ago
  I'm guessing the J-1 application process has very specific questions designed to capture the nuanced differences between gathering info to report back to a foreign govt versus being a more typical visiting researcher. I would also guess the US government was monitoring all this guy's communications so they are fully aware of when he was up to.

HarryHirsch 6y ago

observe the layout of the UCSF lab and bring back information on how to replicate it in China That's the purpose of a J-1 visa, isn't it? The fellow was on a scientific exchange program. It's all very mystifying what the administration is trying to signal.

hailwren 6y ago
This argument was specifically addressed in the source. 'According to court documents, Wang was still employed by the PLA while he was studying in the United States and he made false statements about his military service in his visa application in order to increase the likelihood that he would receive his J1 visa.' The allegation is that he would not have been on a scientific exchange program had it been clear that it was a scientific exchange with the PLA.
- HarryHirsch 6y ago
  The fellow did serve as an officer in the PLA and indicated as much on his visa application. Nothing would be easier for the Chinese military than to approach former officers and encourage them to join a university and apply for a scientific exchange visa in the US. If there was genuine concern the visa would have been sent to administrative processing long ago and then denied. It doesn't make sense, especially since the researcher will have shared what he did with the intelligence officer at his installation. Any officer of any country would have done that. Meanwhile the US charge him with nothing worse than visa fraud. They could at least point to the stolen IP. It's all very baffling.
  - chiph 6y ago
    He isn't a former officer. He is a current officer. Being charged with espionage is a very real possibility.
unishark 6y ago
I'm guessing the J-1 application process has very specific questions designed to capture the nuanced differences between gathering info to report back to a foreign govt versus being a more typical visiting researcher. I would also guess the US government was monitoring all this guy's communications so they are fully aware of when he was up to.