Shanghai Jiaotong University told Xinhua Friday that the Hanxin computer chip series are fake and the state-funded chip research is fraudulent, and a leading scientist has been sacked.

According to a government-organized investigation, Chen Jin, who headed a team, committed fraudulence in developing the Hanxin computer chips for digital signal processing.

Chen, who was dean of the Micro-electronics School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, was found having cheated technological appraisal teams from the government, the university, Shanghai municipal government and relative ministries which put public funds in the research project.

Shanghai Jiaotong University has announced to remove Chen from his post as the dean and his professorship.

The Ministry of Science and Technology and the State Development and Reform Commission have announced to stop further financing Chen's research projects. Chen was ordered to refund research investment from the government.

The title of Changjiang Scholar and concerned remunerations for Chen was also recalled by the Ministry of Education.

In December 2005, Shanghai Jiaotong University got a letter reporting possible fraudulence in the research project headed by Chen, who was also general manager of the Hanxin Sci-Tech Company. After that, the university conducted investigation. Considering the significance and complicacy of the accusation of Chen's research, the university asked government authorities to be engaged in the investigation.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education and Shanghai municipal government organized a joint investigation team on Jan. 28, 2006.

In the past two months, the investigation team extensively interviewed Chen himself, whistle-blowers, research team members and other people who got access to inside information, verified technical reports on the research, analyzed technical data, and verified the performance of the chips in the series from Hanxin I to Hanxin IV.

Days ago, the investigation team notified Shanghai Jiaotong University on its technological appraisal on the Hanxin chips.

Source: Xinhua