‘Scientific corruption’: Chinese researcher who performed pig liver transplant exposed

Just four months ago, on May 17, Sun Beicheng gained global prominence when he led a team that successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig liver into a liver cancer patient.

In July, Sun made headlines again, this time as one of six researchers publicly exposed in a rare crackdown by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) for misconduct in government-funded research programs. According to MOST, Sun, a former vice president of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital in Jiangsu province, contacted reviewers to pressure them to approve an application he had made for state funds in 2021.

Sun’s case is just one of many, as observers say Beijing is “turning over a new leaf” in academic integrity and stepping up crackdowns on researcher misconduct as China tries to outpace the United States in the technology race.

Sun’s resume is impressive. In addition to leading the advancement of xenotransplantation with pig liver transplantation, he was named an Academic Professor of the Yangtze River by the Ministry of Education and was honored as a Distinguished Young Scholar by the National Science Fund in 2012.

Despite his achievements, MOST banned him from participating in state-funded research projects for seven years after finding him in violation of a 2020 regulation that prohibits “soliciting” or “asking favors” from review panel members when deciding on granting state funds. Sun’s application was also rejected.

The other five researchers named by MOST, including leaders of major national research labs and programs, were banned for up to five years for helping Sun approach reviewers or failing to report his behavior to regulators.

In addition, MOST reported four cases of plagiarism involving content, methodology or “innovative ideas” in research proposals for state funding. These researchers were also named, banned from applying for funding for three years and added to a growing list of individuals with poor reputations for integrity, as MOST vowed to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy for academic misconduct.

“There is a clear element of ‘choke the chicken to scare the monkey’ in the ad [do MOST],” said Sourabh Gupta, a senior policy fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington. He called the statement “a clear reminder … that it is better to follow the rules than to try to game the system for one’s own benefit.”

According to Gupta, this move reflects China’s focus on transforming its research output from quantity to quality as the country seeks genuine breakthroughs in technology. This comes amid an ongoing anti-corruption campaign in the military and an economic slowdown that requires research funds to be allocated more strategically.

Coincidentally, the researchers’ denunciation came just a day after the Communist Party wrapped up its third plenum, a crucial meeting that sets major economic guidelines for the next five to ten years. During the meeting, the party leadership decided to step up efforts to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies while “severely cracking down on academic misconduct.”

According to Zeng Liaoyuan, an associate professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, the outcome of the plenary reflects “a sense of urgency” from the Chinese leadership to achieve genuine technological innovations.

Despite a decade of significant investment, with billions of yuan pouring into China’s technology ambitions, the country still faces barriers imposed by U.S. restrictions on exports and investment in chips and chipmaking equipment. Since 2014, Beijing has pumped about 690 billion yuan ($97 billion) into the semiconductor industry. However, China has yet to mass-produce advanced chips such as the 5nm and 3nm chips that are crucial for artificial intelligence and high-end smartphones.

Zeng said that “a large amount of funds did not reach the right recipients” and that lobbying with reviewers often indicates that applicants are not qualified to receive state funds. Access to such funds is crucial for universities and research institutes, being a key indicator of an institution’s reputation and strength, and directly impacting the careers of its directors.

China’s central government has pledged to increase science and technology spending by 10 percent this year to 370.8 billion yuan ($51.5 billion), a significant jump from a 2 percent increase the previous year. However, the economic slowdown has created budget constraints, intensifying competition for these resources.

The pressure to secure funding has become even greater this year as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has stepped up its anti-corruption investigations, especially after the abrupt dismissal of former Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who was accused of accepting “large sums of money” to benefit third parties.

Due to the military action, more programs are competing for state funding. In 2023, about 380,000 research programs applied for 14 types of state funding, a 26% increase from the previous year. Only 13% of those programs were approved, according to data from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Michael Frank, CEO of business intelligence platform Seldon Strategies, said the issues contributing to academic misconduct in China, such as pressure to publish and competition for limited funding, are global challenges. However, the central role of the state in Chinese academia exacerbates the situation, making the government the “sole arbiter of academic integrity.” He suggested that increasing external controls, involving more independent institutions, and adopting clear conflict-of-interest rules could help address the problem.