The Expat :A Novel

The Expat :A Novel by Hansen Shi (2024) 236pp

Although the writing is a bit forced, the topic is cutting edge – international theft of intellectual property. Shi jumps right into the troubles facing ambitious, well-educated young people. His protagonist is Michael Wang, a young disaffected Chinese ivy league graduate working at General Motors. The friction point is Wang’s frustration over the lack of recognition for his brilliance at archetypically, staid GM. The story illuminates the conflicting loyalties of the expat, drawn to the cultural homeland of his parents, repelled by the micro-aggressions of daily life as a Chinese-American, but simultaneously attached to the “American dream” of opportunity. Wang falls victim to the intricacies of unrequited romance, the mysterious and beautiful love interest Vivian. Vivian introduces Wang to a Chinese businessman, actually a government agent, who convinces him to naively provide China with his GM research and his expertise. The situation collapses rapidly as Wang is arrested and detained by the FBI. He agrees to act as a counter-agent, charged with trapping his Chinese spy-master in compromising circumstances. With much hand-wringing angst the story zips along to a hackneyed conclusion, all mysteries resolved in the last twenty pages.

The scientist and the spy

The scientist and the spy: a true story of China, the FBI and industrial espionage / Mara Hvistendahl, read by the author and James Lurie, 321 pgs.

I hung on every word of this fascinating story about industrial espionage in the agricultural world.  Chinese national Robert Mo was working at a questionable company after failing to find work in his field.  His first priority was taking care of his family.  As his work assignments become more questionable, he sticks with it despite misgivings.  At the same time, he is being followed by the F.B.I. and tangling with big corporate ag businesses.  This book recounts in detail the case against Mo and the questions it brings up in our fight for intellectual property and what other countries are doing to gain an advantage.