Launched by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in November 2018, the "China Initiative" purportedly combats economic espionage and trade secret thefts. However, its scope and boundaries have not been defined after three years of operation. There has not been an official count of "China Initiative" cases.  

According to the DOJ online report on June 14, 2021, there were 71 prosecutions since the start of the "China Initiative." This web page lists 24 scientists from 23 of these "China Initiative" cases. Cases with ID #XX are believed to be under the "China Initiative" but have not been explicitly listed by DOJ. These cases match closely the Law360 report 'Overheated': How A Chinese-Spy Hunt At DOJ Went Too Far on September 28, 2021.  

On November 19, 2021, the DOJ online report was changed significantly with at least 20 cases removed and about 4 cases added. The unannounced and unexplained changes made on a Friday are disturbing because an independent review led by Matt Olsen, newly appointed Assistant Attorney General for National Security, is supposed to be starting. The removals are susceptible to creating yet another misleading impression of the "China Initiative."

For example, the removals include the dismissed or acquitted cases of Anming Hu, Qing Wang, Chen Song, Xin Wang, Juan Tang, Kaikai Zhao, and Guan Lei.