German federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday the arrest of a married couple in Munich on suspicion of espionage for China. The suspects, identified as Xuejun C. and Hua S., are German nationals accused of gathering sensitive information on advanced technologies with military applications.
The couple is alleged to have worked for a Chinese intelligence agency, establishing contacts with academics at German universities and research institutions, particularly in aerospace engineering, computer science, and artificial intelligence. According to prosecutors, they posed as interpreters or employees of an automobile manufacturer to approach these scientists.
Some academics were then lured to China under the pretext of delivering paid lectures to civilian audiences, but instead addressed employees of state-owned arms manufacturers, the federal prosecution service stated. Searches were conducted at the couple's homes and workplaces in Munich.
In addition to the arrests, prosecutors said that "further measures" were carried out involving ten individuals who are not suspected of any offense but are potential witnesses, in Berlin, Munich, and several other locations across Germany.
Rising Espionage Concerns
This case is the latest in a series of high-profile espionage incidents linked to China in Germany. In February, a US citizen was jailed in Koblenz for offering sensitive information while working as a civilian contractor at a US military base. In September, a former aide to far-right politician Maximilian Krah was sentenced to over four years for acting as an agent for Chinese intelligence. Prosecutors have also opened an investigation into Krah himself over allegations he took money from Russia and China, which he denies.
The arrests come amid heightened tensions between Europe and China, particularly over technology transfer and security. The European Union has been preparing defensive measures as trade disputes escalate, as reported in EU Prepares Defensive Measures as Trade War with China Escalates. Meanwhile, the deepening alliance between Beijing and Moscow, highlighted by Putin and Xi Deepen Military Ties in Beijing, adds a geopolitical dimension to these concerns.
Earlier this week, German Green MP Konstantin von Notz, deputy chief of the intelligence oversight committee, warned of a growing threat from China. "We are massively underestimating the energy and aggression with which China is acting against the West, including against Europe and Germany," he told a Politico podcast. Pointing to China's ties with Russia, he added that "autocrats have a common interest in forging alliances and sticking together against their supposed enemy."
The case underscores the challenges European nations face in balancing economic ties with China against security risks. As Germany's intelligence services ramp up scrutiny, the arrests in Munich serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing espionage activities targeting the continent's technological edge.
