The Committee of 100 Convenes Legal Experts, Prominent Chinese American Scientists for Seminar on Economic Espionage and Trade Secrets

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Committee of 100 (C-100) hosted a seminar at Jones Day's Washington, D.C. office on September 16, 2015 on the denial of due process in economic espionage cases involving Chinese Americans and the risks in advancing technology between the U.S. and China. The seminar highlighted a growing number of criminal prosecutions which appear to have elements of racial discrimination and emphasized the need for the Department of Justice to rigorously enforce its own non-discrimination policies.

The September 16 seminar is one in a series of programs launched in 2012 by C-100. Similar events have been led by C-100 members who are legal experts in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. These seminars enhance awareness and understanding of U.S. laws governing economic espionage and trade secrets, particularly among Asian Americans professionals, government employees, and contractors in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

The program featured a presentation by C-100 member and legal expert Brian Sun, who has represented a number of high profile clients, including Dr. Wen Ho Lee, a Chinese American scientist whose case of alleged espionage received national attention for lack of due process and biased investigative procedures. Following Mr. Sun's presentation, there was a panel discussion with C-100 co-founder Henry Tang, who played an active role in the case of Dr. Wen Ho Lee; Sherry Chen, a federal employee who was suspended from her job last year based on economic espionage charges that were then dropped by prosecutors; Dr. Xiaoxing Xi, a professor at Temple University who was charged with sharing sensitive technology with China until charges were dropped by prosecutors on Friday, September 11, 2015; and Peter Zeidenberg, Partner at Arent Fox LLP and Ms. Chen and Dr. Xi's attorney.

"Programs such as the September 16 seminar are a continuation of C-100's historic efforts to advance the full inclusion of Chinese Americans in American society," says C-100 Acting Chairman Herman Li, "and complement our efforts to collaborate with leaders in Congress, other Asian Pacific American organizations, and the U.S. government to address these critical issues."

In 1999 and 2000, the Committee led a coalition to raise national awareness of the denial of due process in the Wen Ho Lee case of alleged espionage. This year, the C-100 participated in a press conference and issued statements supporting a May 22 petition letter led by Congressman Ted Lieu and 21 of his colleagues to Attorney General Loretta Lynch expressing concern that racial profiling was involved in charges against Sherry Chen and in similar cases. On September 4, C-100 led a coalition of seven national Asian Pacific American groups to call on Attorney General Lynch to examine a growing number of criminal prosecutions with elements of racial discrimination and to work with Asian American groups to ensure the U.S. government can defend national security interests while upholding civil liberties for all Americans.  

The Committee of 100 is a U.S. 501(c)(3) leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, and the arts. For over a quarter century, the Committee has monitored issues affecting Chinese Americans and served as a high-level bridge in the U.S.-China dialogue fostering regular exchanges with the leadership of Beijing, Taipei, and Washington. Members of the Committee of 100 are leading U.S. citizens of Chinese descent who leverage their collective influence, resources and experiences to address important topics shaping U.S.-China relations as well as issues affecting the Chinese American community.

SOURCE Committee of 100