Chen's case was one of the most prominent examples of the China Initiative, which was launched in 2018 during the Trump administration to address China's attempts to steal American technology. While many researchers, including Chen, were prosecuted for failing to disclose their Chinese affiliations in grant proposals to US funding agencies, critics argue that these prosecutions unfairly target scientists of Chinese descent and blur the line between disclosure violations and more serious crimes like espionage. Chen was arrested in January 2021 for omitting his affiliations with Chinese government institutions in grant applications to the US Department of Energy in 2017. He denied all charges against him, but recent information from officials at the Department of Energy suggests that he may not have been required to disclose certain affiliations. This has raised doubts about the basis of the charges. The Justice Department is considering dismissing cases related to the China Initiative, which was started to address national security and economic threats posed by China's global power ambitions. Concerns were raised about Beijing potentially stealing research and intellectual property through unconventional means, like professors sharing sensitive information under the guise of academic cooperation. The program has led to numerous convictions, such as a Monsanto employee caught leaving the country with a proprietary algorithm and a Coca-Cola chemist found guilty of stealing a valuable formula. A jury in Boston recently convicted Harvard chemist Charles Leiber of six felonies after a short deliberation, including making false statements and failing to declare income earned in China. However, some cases against academics have fallen apart, including the acquittal of Anming Hu, a University of Tennessee engineering professor, due to lack of evidence of intentional fraud. The Justice Department has also dropped seven cases against researchers in recent months. The most high-profile case to be dismissed so far is that of Chen, a naturalised US citizen since 2000, who is a respected scientist with strong support from his university. Chen, who has been on leave from MIT since his arrest, expressed gratitude to friends and colleagues for their support during a difficult year and criticized the China Initiative. While he is relieved that his ordeal is over, he believes the initiative continues to unfairly target academics and other scientists who still face charges. The decision to drop the case was made by Rachael Rollins, the new US attorney in Boston, after new information revealed that the Chinese affiliations at the center of the case were not crucial to the funding agency. Rollins acknowledged the impact of charging decisions on people's lives. "As the United States attorney, I will always encourage the prosecutors in our office to conduct thorough and ongoing reviews at every stage of a case. The dismissal today is a result of this process and serves the interests of justice." When Chen was arrested a year ago, the statements from the prosecutor's office were very different. The US attorney at the time, Andrew E Lelling, suggested that the case was not just about greed, but also loyalty to China. FBI special agent Joseph R Bonavolonta stated that Chen had knowingly defrauded at least $19 million in federal grants. The charges filed later were more specific, including two counts of wire fraud for failing to disclose affiliations while applying for a grant to study heat conduction in polymer structures. These affiliations included roles as an overseas expert consultant for the Chinese government, a review expert for the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and an adviser to the Chinese Scholarship Council. He was charged with not declaring a Chinese bank account with over $10,000 and making false statements in grant disclosures. Officials from the Department of Energy stated that the undisclosed affiliations would not have affected the grant money. Chen's lawyer credited witnesses for clarifying misunderstandings about scientific collaborations. The lawyer stated that Chen never lied and that the government acknowledged his innocence. Our defense was that Gang did not commit any of the offenses he was accused of. The Biden administration officials are expected to make changes to the China Initiative in the upcoming weeks. According to Wyn Hornbuckle, a spokesperson for the Justice Department, they are reviewing their approach to countering threats from the Chinese government. The name China Initiative might be changed and the cases may no longer be grouped together but instead handled by the National Security Division. They are also considering resolving the cases individually rather than offering amnesty in grant fraud cases. Lelling, one of the creators of the China Initiative, is now advocating for the Justice Department to stop prosecuting individuals based on grant disclosures. He believes the initiative, originally meant to combat espionage, has lost its focus and has created a climate of fear among researchers. Lelling acknowledges that prosecutions have led to more transparency about Chinese funding among research scientists, but he also believes that the fear of collaboration among academics is not beneficial. “What is deterrence? You do not exceed the speed limit because you are afraid of receiving a ticket. Deterrence involves instilling fear.” MIT President Rafael Reif expressed his anticipation for Chen to resume his responsibilities at the university, acknowledging the immense burden the case had placed on him and his loved ones, which was unimaginable. Reif stated, “It is challenging to come to terms with and comprehend the suffering and distress that such admirable individuals, individuals we are proud and fortunate to be acquainted with, have experienced over the past two years.” He also recognized the ongoing anguish within the community, particularly among Gang's friends, students, and colleagues, as well as individuals of Chinese descent both at MIT and beyond.