Xiaoxing Xi - Andrei Sakharov
Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov (1921-1989) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975. As the father of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, Sakharov was awarded the Peace Prize for "his opposition to the abuse of power and his work for human rights."
Since 2006, the American Physical Society (APS) has awarded the Andrei Sakharov Prize every second year to recipients for "outstanding leadership and/or achievements of scientists in upholding human rights".
Professor Xiaoxing Xi (郗小星) of Temple University is a 2020 recipient of the Andrei Sakharov Prize. He is himself a victim of racial profiling. Since the wrongful prosecution against him was dropped in 2015, Professor Xi has been tirelessly speaking up across the nation to stop the injustice of racial profiling, defend openness in university campuses, and protect American competitiveness in science and technology.
Professor Xi was scheduled to receive the Andrei Sakharov Prize on March 4, 2020. The event was cancelled due to concerns about the coronavirus. Professor Xi recorded his prepared presentation in a 32-minutes video. It provides compelling facts and arguments that cover not only the wrongful prosecution against him, but also the government's abuse of authority at the expense of American competitiveness and leadership by criminalizing fundamental research.
This webpage is dedicated to communicate and expand on Professor Xi's message on racial profiling, which has already infected academia, government, private industry, and other segments of American society. It provides a synopsis of profiling today. The webpage will be updated as events warrant.
Since 2006, the American Physical Society (APS) has awarded the Andrei Sakharov Prize every second year to recipients for "outstanding leadership and/or achievements of scientists in upholding human rights".
Professor Xiaoxing Xi (郗小星) of Temple University is a 2020 recipient of the Andrei Sakharov Prize. He is himself a victim of racial profiling. Since the wrongful prosecution against him was dropped in 2015, Professor Xi has been tirelessly speaking up across the nation to stop the injustice of racial profiling, defend openness in university campuses, and protect American competitiveness in science and technology.
Professor Xi was scheduled to receive the Andrei Sakharov Prize on March 4, 2020. The event was cancelled due to concerns about the coronavirus. Professor Xi recorded his prepared presentation in a 32-minutes video. It provides compelling facts and arguments that cover not only the wrongful prosecution against him, but also the government's abuse of authority at the expense of American competitiveness and leadership by criminalizing fundamental research.
This webpage is dedicated to communicate and expand on Professor Xi's message on racial profiling, which has already infected academia, government, private industry, and other segments of American society. It provides a synopsis of profiling today. The webpage will be updated as events warrant.
1. The Wrongful Prosecution
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Born in China, Professor Xi was among the first students to attend college after the Cultural Revolution in China. He received his Ph.D. degree in physics from Peking University and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, in 1987. After several years of research at the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center, Germany, he came to the U.S. and worked for Bell Communication Research/Rutgers University and University of Maryland before joining the Physics faculty at Penn State University in 1995. He moved to Temple University in 2009. On May 19, 2015, he was informed that he would be appointed permanent Chair of the Physics Department.
Two days later on May 21, 2015 when the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus was convening a press conference to express concerns about racial profiling in the case of Sherry Chen, Professor Xi was sensationally arrested in the wee hours of the morning. Media reports the following day quoted the Department of Justice that Professor Xi was a "Chinese spy" selling sensitive information to China. Four charges were subsequently made, all of them based on intercepted emails. Professor Xi and his lawyer refuted point-by-point that the allegations were totally false. In particular, five top experts, including one whose trade secrets were allegedly stolen, examined the emails and provided affidavits to support Professor Xi's defense that he did not share or sell proprietary information to China. In fact, the fundamental research results were readily available in the Internet. Professor Xi and his lawyer raised the question of how publicly available technology can be "stolen" and alleged to be a criminal act. On September 11, 2015, DOJ dropped all charges against Professor Xi without explanation or responding to his questions. However, irreparable damage to his finances, career, reputation and his family had already been made. |
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2. A Growing Pattern of Racial Profiling
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Government mistakes in espionage cases are rare. However, prior to Professor Xi's wrongful prosecution against Professor Xi, Sherry Chen, Guiqing Cao and Shuyi Li were also accused of spying for China in two separate cases. Their cases were all dropped within a two-year period. These innocent Chinese American scientists work in the academia, federal government, and private industry.
Subsequent to 2015, there have been additional prosecutions of Chinese American scientists that collapsed, such as a former Michigan State University professor and two Tulane University professors. More details at Victims.
Subsequent to 2015, there have been additional prosecutions of Chinese American scientists that collapsed, such as a former Michigan State University professor and two Tulane University professors. More details at Victims.
3. Failure of Checks and Balances
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As the pattern of profiling against innocent Chinese American scientists began to emerge and pile up, many began to raise questions to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) whether race, ethnicity and national origin have played a role in their investigations and prosecutions. They include, but are not limited to:
Despite these and many other appeals documented in this website, the system of checks and balances failed to account for the public concerns. |
Prominent scientists, engineers and professors (http://goo.gl/DKRxSp)
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42 members of the U.S. Congress (https://goo.gl/KEjzfm)
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The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (http://goo.gl/DjDJm2)
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Delaware U.S. Senators and Congressman (click on image to access)
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Civil rights organizations (http://bit.ly/28LWFiM)
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4. Labels and Misinformation that Enable Profiling
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"Non-traditonal Collectors" by FBI Director Wray in 2018
Click on image to access video (0:56). Source: C-SPAN
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"Don't Send Your Kids Here!" ... by DNI Director Dan Coats
Click on image to access video (0:15). Source: Aspen Institute
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"Thousand Grains of Sand" and "Mosaic" theories in 1999/2000
Click on image to view videos (0:39). Source: United Chinese Americans
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"$225-600 billion" annual cost to the U.S. economy
Click on image to access document. Source: FBI
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The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) deny that they target Asian Americans based on race, ethnicity or national origin. However, actions such as the use of code names and provocative messages by senior government officials tend to suggest otherwise.
On February 13, 2018, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in a Senate hearing that Chinese professors, scientists, students across basically every discipline are "nontraditional collectors" spying for China. According to a media report, FBI and intelligence agencies have urged universities to surveil Chinese students and scholars. The Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats declared in a July 2018 public forum: "Don't send your kids here!", "Don't put your people on our labs!", and "You cannot steal our secrets!"
In its publicity campaign on "China: The Risk to Academia," the FBI highlights the "annual cost to the U.S. economy of counterfeit goods, pirated software, and theft of trade secrets" is $225 - 600 Billion. As the American Physcial Society pointed out, the “$225 - $600 Billion” figure "turns out to be primarily based on a generic GDP multiplier that would apply to any country at any time – it has no specific bearing on current circumstances with China or academia, as the title of the document unfortunately suggests."
On February 13, 2018, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in a Senate hearing that Chinese professors, scientists, students across basically every discipline are "nontraditional collectors" spying for China. According to a media report, FBI and intelligence agencies have urged universities to surveil Chinese students and scholars. The Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats declared in a July 2018 public forum: "Don't send your kids here!", "Don't put your people on our labs!", and "You cannot steal our secrets!"
In its publicity campaign on "China: The Risk to Academia," the FBI highlights the "annual cost to the U.S. economy of counterfeit goods, pirated software, and theft of trade secrets" is $225 - 600 Billion. As the American Physcial Society pointed out, the “$225 - $600 Billion” figure "turns out to be primarily based on a generic GDP multiplier that would apply to any country at any time – it has no specific bearing on current circumstances with China or academia, as the title of the document unfortunately suggests."
Irresponsible code names have been used historically to stigmatize Asian Americans as "perpetual foreigners," insinulatng that they are not to be distrusted and their loyalty is always questioned, no matter how many generations they have lived in the U.S.
Prior to FBI Director Wray coining the term "nontraditional collectors," another FBI official advanced the "thousand grains of sand" and "mosaic" theories about Chinese in America when Dr. Wen Ho Lee was being persecuted about two decades ago. During World War II, Japanese persons in the West Coast were portrayed as the "fifth column." Dr. Qian Xuesen and others were labeled "communist sympathizers" during the Red Scare in the 1950s.
Prior to FBI Director Wray coining the term "nontraditional collectors," another FBI official advanced the "thousand grains of sand" and "mosaic" theories about Chinese in America when Dr. Wen Ho Lee was being persecuted about two decades ago. During World War II, Japanese persons in the West Coast were portrayed as the "fifth column." Dr. Qian Xuesen and others were labeled "communist sympathizers" during the Red Scare in the 1950s.
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"Thousand Grains of Sand" by FBI Official in 1999/2000
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"Fifth Column" during World War II
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"Communist Sympathizer" during the Red Scare in the 1950s
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5. Shifting Grounds and Double Standards
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In recent years, the FBI shifted its targets to those associated with China's talent recruitment programs, including the Thousand Talent Program. However, government recruitment program is nothing new. Japan has The World Premier International Center Initiative; the United Kingdom has the Earnest Rutherford Fund; Canada has the Canada 150 Research Chairs Program; Singapore has RIE2020; Israel has I-CORE; and France has the "Make Our Planet Great Again" Initiative.
Freedom of movement is a fundamental human right. As long as the rules are followed, it is perfectly legitimate for academics to pursue opportuntities in the talent recruitment programs. In 2015, the former head of the Beijing office for the National Science Foundation (NSF) said that U.S. scientists can access world-class facilities, uniqiue geographic sites, and expertise in a growing number of fields by coolabroating with Chinese colleagues. In additon, as ties are built with Chinese funding agencies, NSF funding can be leveraged in coordinated partnerships on topics that are of interest to both countries. In 2014, the Director of the National Institute of Health (NIH) spoke at Fudan University in Shanghai and quoted Louis Pasteur, "Science knows no country because knowledge belongs to humanity," as the topic of his speech. Indeed, cancer knows no country. Coronavirus knows no country. According to the book titled "The Great Influenza," in the height of World War I and the influenze epidemic, a researcher found an effective way to fight the virus. Both the military officials and the leading scientists supported the decision to publish the research results, even if it would help the enemies, the Germans, on the battlefields. Additional References
2020/03/29 Asia Times opinion: Citizens at risk as anti-Asian racism surges in US 2020/09/19 Committee of Concerned Scientists: Should the United States Hide Its Cancer Research from China? 2019/06/13 Bloomberg Businessweek: How NOT to Cure Cancer - The U.S. is Purging Chinese Scientists in a New Red Scare |
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6. "Researching While Chinese" "Driving While Black"
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Some say that some Chinese persons did do something wrong. However, it is not the right question to ask.
For example, Sandra Bland, an African American woman, was stopped by a state trooper for signaling while making a traffic turn. Was it improper? It certainly was, but nobody should go to jail and died for it. The same can be said for Samuel DuBose for missing a front license plate. Or Philando Castile for a broken tail light. They all died for offenses they would not have had had they not been African Americans. Similarly, the right question we should ask is whether it is okay for the entire group of Chinese professors, scientists, and students being singled out for targeting as suspected non-traditional collectors for China, or Chinese spies. That is racial profiling. That is wrong. 
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Proud to be a Chinese American
Xiaoxing Xi September 16, 2015 I was jogging on the National Mall and along Pennsylvania Avenue this morning. As the sun came out behind the iconic landmarks, my heart welled up with pride of being a Chinese American. I ran by the Washington Monument. It is the ideal that “all men are created equal” the Founding Father fought for that has attracted me and many others to become an American citizen. I passed by the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln gave his life to preserve the Union and abolish a system that treated people differently based on their races. Running past the Capitol Steps, my appreciation became so clear that in this country, people’s voice can be heard through a democratic process. I jogged in front of the FBI building. I commend the men and women who devote themselves to the protection of our country. In my case, however, they have used their might against an innocent citizen. What do these all mean to me? We need to get involved in the democratic process. If we see a bad policy, a bad practice, that hurt our country, we need to speak out and let our voice be heard. That we have the right to do so is what this country is so great about. As a proud citizen, I pledge to do my part. |
7. Criminalizing Fundamental Research and Science Threatens U.S. Leadership
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There is no evidence to support the government's crackdown of open scientific exchanges with China as they are mostly on basic research.
The national policy governing federally-funded research has been National Security Decision Directive 189 (NSDD-189). Issued by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, it defines fundamental research as basic and applied research in science and engineering, the results of which ordinarily are published and shared broadly within the scientific community. It states that it is the policy of this administration that, to the maximum extent possible, the products of fundamental research remain unrestricted. If national security requires control, then classify the research. Since the principle of freedom to publish and disseminate results is so fundamental to U.S. universities that many of them do not accept funding that restricts their faculty from publishing and diseeminating research results. For example, the Princeton University policy says the University will not, as a matter of policy, accept any contracts or grants for the support of classified research. However, in its publcity campaign document, the FBI says, "Even if the technologies and their applications are not currently classified, they could be in the future." The "thousand grains of sand" and "mosaic" theories are widely held by the intellgence community - a collection of unclassified documents would create a classified document. According to these theories, while the Russians would steal the one classified document, the Chinese steals all the unclassified documents and put them together. So Chinese professors, scientists, and students are suspected of stealing secrets anyway, even when they are conducting fundamental research. On November 18, 2019, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations issued a staff report which makes a number of recommendations. Recommendation 11 says, "The administration should consider updating NSDD-189 and implement additional, limited restrictions on U.S. government funded fundamental research... Federal agencies must not only combat illegal transfers of controlled or classified research, but assess whether openly sharing some types of fundamental research is in the nation's interest." If the scientific community does not speak up, the day it can freely publish fundamental research and to openly discuss among colleagues may be numbered. This push for restrictions of open fundamental research reflects a total lack of understanding about what has made America the world leader in science and technology in the first place. In the book titled "Technology and National Security: Maintaining America's Edge," writer and historian Walter Isaacson wrote a chapter on The Source of America's Innovation Edge. He pointed out that the triangular partnership between government, industry, and academia created an ecosystem that helped produce the technological revolution after World War II. Each partner has its unique functions, and universities are where free and open research is conducted. If the free and open envrionment is lost and turned into national laboratories, American competitveness in science and technology will be stiffled. Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Deutch also wrote in the same book, "The risk of loss [of technology to China] is minor compared to the losses that will be incurred by restricting inquiry on university campuses." In other words, in the name of protecting America's research integrity, the policies that restrict open research on university campuses are in fact destroying America's leadership in science and technology. The Department of Justice denies that it makes decisions based on race, ethnicity or national origin. Harvard University Chemistry Department Chair Dr. Charles Lieber is cited as an example, but this is precisely what Professor Xi has been warning. Anyone who has academic collaboration with Chinese colleagues can become a target of the FBI. One does not have to be Chinese. According to a U.S. attorney, academic collaborations with China is "by definition conveying sensitive information to the Chinese." Once you are targeted, everything is under the microscope. On September 28, 2019, leaders from academia, business and the Chinese American community spoke about the same issues in a conference organized by the Committee of 100, a group of prominent Chinese Americans. |
Click image to access video link (7:26). Source: Committee of 100
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8. Balance of Open Science and Security
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On December 11, 2019, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released the JASON report on Fundamental Research Security.
JASON is an independent group of elite scientists which advises the U.S. government on matters of science and technology. JASON was briefed by representatives of the intelligence community and law enforcement during the study. They had access to all the available classified information In the end, the JASON report says in its findings the scale and scope of the [foreign influence by the Chinese government] remain poorly defined. It recommends that NSF should support reaffirmation of the principles of NSDD-189, which make clear that fundamental research should remain unrestricted to the fullest extent possible. It also says failure to disclose commitments and actual potential conflicts of interest should be investigated and adjudicated by the relevant office of NSF and by universities as presumptive violations of research integrity, with consequences similar to those currently in place for scientific misconduct. Not by the FBI. Not by throwing them into jail. In Professor Xi opinion, the scientific community should rally around the JASON report. It is well balanced, and it provides a blueprint of the proper response for the U.S. government for the perceived threats of the Chinese government to fundamental research. |
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9. Speak up, America!
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More on Profiling Today
2020/03/31 Politico: Justice Department audit finds widespread flaws in FBI surveillance applications
2020/03/25 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB): international collaborators critical to its success
2020/03/22 Chemical & Enginneering News: 70 years of US suspicion toward Chinese scientists—and what those caught in the middle should do now
2020/03/25 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB): international collaborators critical to its success
2020/03/22 Chemical & Enginneering News: 70 years of US suspicion toward Chinese scientists—and what those caught in the middle should do now
Monitoring and Tracking
2020/04/06 Science: NIH’s process for removing reviewers remains a mystery, watchdog finds
2020/03/25 JDSupra: The China Initiative Heads to School
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB): international collaborators critical to its success
2020/03/22 C&E News: 70 years of US suspicion toward Chinese scientists—and what those caught in the middle should do now
2020/03/12 Nature: Universities are forging ties with the FBI as US cracks down on foreign influence
2020/03/11 Science: Fired cancer scientist says ‘good people are being crushed’ by overzealous probes into possible Chinese ties
2020/03/10 Voice of America: American Professor Pleads Guilty in Connection with China Work
National Law Review: Misappropriators Beware: Motorola Court Embraces Extraterritorial Application Of The Defend Trade Secrets Act
2020/03/07 WBZ-4 Boston: Medical Student Charged With Trying To Smuggle Research To China Freed On Bond
2020/03/06 American Institute of Physics: NSF Responds to JASON Research Security Report
2020/02/28 South China Morning Post: US professor Anming Hu charged with hiding China ties from NASA
DOJ: Researcher at University Arrested for Wire Fraud and Making False Statements About Affiliation with a Chinese University
2020/02/14 The Cancer Letter: Thomas Sellers sues Moffitt, claims defamation
2020/02/07 Science: U.S. attorneys warn of upcoming ‘spike’ in prosecutions related to China ties
2020/01/22 SupChina: The U.S. Sinophobia Tracker: How America is becoming unfriendly to Chinese students, scientists, and scholars
2020/01/28 USA Today: DOJ: Harvard University professor lied about work for the Chinese government
2019/12/05 Oxford Academic: Returning scientists and the emergence of China’s science system
2019/11/22 DOJ: Information about the Department of Justice’s China Initiative and a compilation of China related criminal cases since Jan. 2018
2020/03/25 JDSupra: The China Initiative Heads to School
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB): international collaborators critical to its success
2020/03/22 C&E News: 70 years of US suspicion toward Chinese scientists—and what those caught in the middle should do now
2020/03/12 Nature: Universities are forging ties with the FBI as US cracks down on foreign influence
2020/03/11 Science: Fired cancer scientist says ‘good people are being crushed’ by overzealous probes into possible Chinese ties
2020/03/10 Voice of America: American Professor Pleads Guilty in Connection with China Work
National Law Review: Misappropriators Beware: Motorola Court Embraces Extraterritorial Application Of The Defend Trade Secrets Act
2020/03/07 WBZ-4 Boston: Medical Student Charged With Trying To Smuggle Research To China Freed On Bond
2020/03/06 American Institute of Physics: NSF Responds to JASON Research Security Report
2020/02/28 South China Morning Post: US professor Anming Hu charged with hiding China ties from NASA
DOJ: Researcher at University Arrested for Wire Fraud and Making False Statements About Affiliation with a Chinese University
2020/02/14 The Cancer Letter: Thomas Sellers sues Moffitt, claims defamation
2020/02/07 Science: U.S. attorneys warn of upcoming ‘spike’ in prosecutions related to China ties
2020/01/22 SupChina: The U.S. Sinophobia Tracker: How America is becoming unfriendly to Chinese students, scientists, and scholars
2020/01/28 USA Today: DOJ: Harvard University professor lied about work for the Chinese government
2019/12/05 Oxford Academic: Returning scientists and the emergence of China’s science system
2019/11/22 DOJ: Information about the Department of Justice’s China Initiative and a compilation of China related criminal cases since Jan. 2018