Scientist hits back at US university over ‘unusual and abrupt’ sacking in China funding ties case
- Chinese-American biologist questioned by US agency says he has disclosed his research activity to Emory University every year since 2012
A Chinese-American scientist, who along with this wife was sacked by US-based Emory University for allegedly undisclosed funding ties to China, has disputed the “unusual and abrupt” way he was thrown out of a job.
Li Xiaojiang, a biologist at Emory for more than 20 years, said he was “shocked” that the private university in Atlanta, Georgia, sacked him without “specific details” to explain why, a report on Science magazine’s website said.
Emory said Li and his wife Li Shihua – both US citizens and both biology professors – failed to “fully disclose” overseas sources of research funding and their professional ties to China. The university then fired the couple on May 16 when Li Xiaojiang was in China.
The university closed a laboratory jointly led by the Lis and told four Chinese postdoctoral students who worked at the lab to leave the US within 30 days, the Science report said, citing a statement from Li Xiaojiang.
On Monday, China’s foreign ministry criticised the US’ way of “politicising” person-to-person and academic dialogues.
