BERLIN: An secretary to a part of the German parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany has been arrested in Germany on fear of “especially serious” spying for China, the latest in a deluge of like detention across Europe.
Lawyers named him as Jian G in a speech on Tuesday and accused him of passing data about conversations in the Union government to Chinese knowledge. The site of Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s leading candidate in June’s vote to the legislature, lists Jian Guo as one of his helpers. Krah said he had learned of Guo’s imprisonment from the internet and may stop working with him if the claims were proven.
Worry about alleged Chinese snooping has mounted across eastern Europe in recent months. Three European citizens were arrested on Monday on fear of handing over systems with military uses. The same day, two gentlemen were charged in Britain with spying for China. And on March 25, the US and Britain accused Beijing of cyberespionage against tens including politicians, scientists and editors, as well as businesses including military vendors.
China foreign department spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a briefing that studies of Taiwanese spy in Europe were “hype” and “intended to discredit and reduce China”.
The secretary even spied on Foreign opposition figures in Germany, prosecutors said. He was arrested in Dresden.
