MIT scientist ‘lived in constant fear’ while accused under Trump’s ‘China initiative’

The “China Initiative” was a centerpiece of former US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy agenda for years. Headed by the US Department of Justice, the program was meant to focus on prosecuting cases of economic espionage and national security. However, in reality, the initiative lacked focus, and seemed particularly keen on targeting academics with a connection to China. One of those academics is Gang Chen, a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Chen was accused of failing to disclose funding from Chinese entities, but a little over a year after being handcuffed in his home, all charges were dropped. Gang Chen joins The World’s host Marco Werman to discuss his experience, and the chilling effect that the Department of Justice’s initiative has had on scientists of Chinese heritage living in the US.