China says the UMich researcher was interrogated by US diplomats before his death
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Chinese government officials say the University of Michigan researcher was questioned by US law enforcement shortly before his death at the school last month – a claim that US authorities have not confirmed.
Danhao Wang, a former research assistant in electrical and computer engineering, died in March after an incident at the George G. Brown Building, according to the university.
The University of Michigan Police Department said officers responded around 11:00 a.m. March 19 to a report of a person who had fallen inside the building. A research scientist’s assistant was found after falling from a height and later pronounced dead.
Police say the case is being investigated as an act of self-harm and there are no indications of an ongoing threat to the campus community.
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University of Michigan graduates leave the central walkway in the William W. Cook Law Quadrangle on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, after taking their graduation photos in the archway in Ann Arbor. (Detroit Free Press)
Chinese officials, however, have publicly expressed concern about the circumstances leading to Wang’s death.
In a statement issued on March 30, China’s embassy in Chicago said the Chinese scholar died “a day after being questioned by US law enforcement,” adding that officials, acting under orders from Beijing, have repeatedly protested at US government institutions and universities.
The embassy said it has contacted the scholar’s family “as soon as possible” and is assisting them, while accusing the United States of “extending” national security concerns to “unreasonably investigate and harass Chinese students and scholars.”
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It also warned of a “serious negative effect” and advised Chinese nationals in the US to be cautious when dealing with law enforcement and to contact Chinese embassies if they encounter similar situations.
The embassy did not identify the person.
At a press conference on March 27, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said China denied the case and accused the United States of “groundless investigation.”[ing] and abuse[ing] Chinese scholars and students,” calls for a full investigation.
US officials have not confirmed that any such inquiries have taken place.
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In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the FBI’s Detroit field office declined to say whether it was in contact with Wang.
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“In accordance with long-standing policy, the FBI does not confirm or deny the existence of any investigation or investigation involving specific individuals,” the office said.
University of Michigan police told Fox News Digital they would not release any other information outside of their public statement, citing the ongoing investigation.
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The researcher died at the University of Michigan. (Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
The allegations were first reported by the Michigan Advance, which said federal agencies declined to comment on whether Wang had been questioned before his death.
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Wang’s death remains under investigation, and an autopsy report has been requested.
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In a message to the university community, Engineering Dean Karen Thole described Wang as a “promising and brilliant young mind,” noting that his research on advanced semiconductor materials has been published in “Nature.”
The case comes amid intense scrutiny of Chinese people at American universities. As previously reported by the Michigan Advance, federal authorities have filed charges in recent months against people connected to the University of Michigan who are accused of trying to smuggle biological materials into the United States.
