German authorities said they had issued arrest warrants against three citizens suspected of spying for China.
The full names of the defendants were not disclosed by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (aka Generalbundesanwalt), but include Herwig F., Ina F. and Thomas R.
“The suspects are strongly suspected of working for the Chinese intelligence services from an unspecified date before June 2022,” the Generalbundesanwalt said.
Thomas R. is believed to have acted as an agent of the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), gathering information on innovative technologies in Germany that could be used for military purposes.
The defendant also turned to spouses Herwig F. and Ina F., who run a Düsseldorf-based company that has established connections with the scientific and research community in Germany.
This came in the form of an agreement with an unnamed German university to conduct a study for an unnamed Chinese contractor regarding the operation of high-performance marine engines for use on combat ships.
“At the time of their arrest, the defendants were engaged in further negotiations on research projects that could be useful in expanding China’s maritime combat power,” the agency said.
“Furthermore, the defendants purchased a special laser from Germany, on behalf and at payment of MSS, and exported it to China without permission, even though the instrument is subject to EU dual-use legislation.”
The development comes as the Generalbundesanwalt announced the arrest of another citizen named Jian G for acting as a Chinese intelligence agent while working for a German member of the European Parliament since 2019.
“In January 2024 the defendant repeatedly passed information on negotiations and decisions of the European Parliament to his intelligence client,” it reads. “Furthermore, he spied on members of the Chinese opposition in Germany for the intelligence services.”
Last week the Federal Prosecutor’s Office also issued an arrest warrant against the Russian-German citizen Alexander J. for alleged activity as a secret service agent.
The arrests also follow the charging of Christopher Berry, 32, and Christopher Cash, 29, in the UK with passing sensitive information to China in breach of the Official Secrets Act, according to the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service ( CPS).
The two individuals, previously arrested on 13 March 2023 in Oxfordshire and Edinburgh respectively, and subsequently released on bail, were accused of sharing “articles, notes, documents or information” which may have been directly or indirectly useful to someone. enemy nation.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy told BBC News that the allegations amounted to “malicious smears” and urged the UK to “stop anti-China political manipulation”.