China

A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a confessed participant to five years of probation in a plot that diverted millions of dollars worth of biomedical drugs, toxins and research supplies from the University of Florida to China over seven years.

Among the students tied to the scheme was the president of UF’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association. The group openly protested a Florida law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year that limits universities from recruiting students and faculty from China – and bans employing such students from working in academic labs without special permission.

It comes almost exactly a year after Florida lawmakers and Gov. DeSantis approved a measure to restrict property ownership by people from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria.

In the first weeks of outbreak, the Chinese government froze meaningful efforts to trace the origins, despite publicly declaring it supported an open scientific inquiry, an AP investigation finds.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law a year ago. It applies to farms and properties within 10 miles of military installations and other critical infrastructure.

Two graduate students from China whose studies were put on hold, and a professor who says he is unable to recruit research assistants, are suing Florida education officials.

Florida pension-fund managers are ready to begin the process of dropping investments in China-owned companies, anticipating that Gov. Ron DeSantis will sign a bill directing divestment.

The SFA Fund said DeSantis "called China ‘Florida’s most important trading partner.’" PolitiFact found no evidence in news reports or statements that he said this about Florida’s biggest trading partner for imported goods.

If residents of countries including Cuba, Venezuela and China don’t register properties by the Jan. 31 deadline, they can be hit with $1,000 per day in property liens — or potentially have their property seized.

PolitiFact did not find any government reports or news stories that show Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recruited Chinese companies to the state in the last six months, despite claims made by South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

The new law restricts certain people from "countries of concern" from owning property in Florida. A court brief says the law is unconstitutional and violates the federal Fair Housing Act.

A federal judge is refusing to block a new Florida law that bans citizens of China and some other countries from purchasing property in large swaths of Florida.