Top Shanghai academic banned after inquiry finds breakthrough homegrown technology was stolen
The mainland yesterday announced that its first homegrown computer chip was a fake, in a scandal that deals a blow to the country's aspirations to develop its own technology and causes a major embarrassment to the government.
A government investigation found that the developer of the Hanxin series of chips, Chen Jin of Shanghai's prestigious Jiaotong University, had 'committed serious falsification and fraud', the university and state media said.
'Chen Jin has breached the trust of being a scientist and an educator. His behaviour is despicable,' the university said in a statement.
Jiaotong has removed Dr Chen from his position as dean of the school of microelectronics and disqualified him as a university professor, while the central government has banned him from further state research projects. The government was also seeking the return of funds invested in the project, Xinhua said, but gave no figure.
University spokesman Cao Rongduan declined to say if the academic would face criminal charges. 'We will follow the government's decision,' he said.
