FBI search for Chinese scientist seeking refuge in San Francisco consulate
Washington DC, Jul 23 (efe-epa).- The FBI believe a Chinese scientist accused of lying on her visa by omitting links to the Chinese military is hiding in the Asian country’s consulate in San Francisco.
Juan Tang is named in a memo filed earlier this week at the federal district court in the Californian city.
The news comes amid a stand-off between Washington and Beijing which was exacerbated this week after the United States ordered the closure of China’s consulate in Houston.
Washington said the base was used to steal intellectual property and private information.
The Chinese government criticized the move and threatened reprisals.
The FBI interviewed Juan Tang on 20 June and accused her six days later of visa fraud, local media said, quoting court documents.
Juan Tang was granted a J-1 visa before becoming a researcher at the University of California.
She allegedly lied in the application process by stating she had no links to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Open source investigators found photos of the scientist wearing uniform used by students of the PLA-affiliated Air Force Military Medical University (FMMU).
The court documents said: “Tang denied serving in the Chinese military, claimed she did not know the meaning of the insignia on her uniform, and that wearing a military uniform was required for attendance at FMMU because it was a military school.
