German law enforcement officers have arrested three people suspected of covertly working with the Chinese Secret Service to help them get their hands on innovative German technology that China’s military could use for high-performance warships.
As announced by German officials on Monday, April 22, 2024, the suspects worked together with an unnamed Chinese secret service contractor to provide sensitive technology, including marine engine designs and parts that could be used to strengthen China’s navy ships’ performance.
The three suspected German nationals have also been accused of exporting a special laser to China without permission, violating the country’s Foreign Trade and Payments Act, which criminalizes economic sabotage and other similar activities.
A prosecutor in Berlin identified Herwig F., Ina F, and Thomas R. as the key suspects who secretly worked with a Chinese spy agency, China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), since June 2022.
Based on information gathered by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the suspects were arrested by officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in the western German cities of Düsseldorf and Bad Homburg on espionage-related charges. Their homes and workplaces were also searched for more evidence.
As stated by the prosecutor, Herwig F. and Ina F, a married couple running a company in Dusseldorf, were recruited by Thomas R., who was described by the prosecution as an agent of an unknown employee of the Chinese spy agency, to use their company for operations in the country.
The three worked together to help Chinese spies get access to state-of-the-art technology, designs, and sensitive information about Germany’s high-performance marine engines that could be vital in assisting China in strengthening the combat power of their warships.
Through their company, the couple secured a cooperation agreement with a German university. The agreement partly involved preparing a study to help MSS employees learn about machine parts that could be used for powerful marine engines such as warships.
According to the prosecutor, Thomas R., the main suspect in the espionage case, allegedly obtained “innovative technologies for military use” on behalf of an MSS employee. The first project regarding high-tech marine engines was allegedly completed before they were arrested.
“At the time of their arrest, the accused were in further negotiations about research projects that could be particularly useful for expanding China’s maritime combat power,” Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in a statement.
The suspects also procured a special laser from Germany on behalf of the MSS, using the money provided by the spy agency and sending it to China without Germany’s authorization, violating the EU’s “dual-use item” policy banning the export of special items that can be used both for civilian and military purposes to certain countries.
A Great Success for German Counterintelligence
Commenting on the incident, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser hailed the operation as a “great success for [German] counterintelligence,” adding that the current case, which involves the transfer of innovative German technologies with potential military purposes to China was “particularly sensitive.”
Faeser also stated Berlin was closely monitoring the “significant danger” paused by Chinese espionage on the country’s business, industry, and science.
“We are watching these risks and threats very closely and have warned and sensitized people clearly so that protective measures can be stepped up everywhere,” she said.
Local media reports cited by Aljazeera revealed the three suspects will be arraigned at a Federal Court in Karlsruhe, southwest Germany, on Tuesday, April 23, to answer to their charges. If found guilty, the trio could face hefty fines or imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The Monday incident comes just a few days after two men with dual German-Russian citizenship were arrested last Thursday and detained in the city of Bayreuth, Southern German state of Bavaria, for allegedly spying for Russia to sabotage Western military support for Ukraine.
Dieter S, the main suspect, and Alexander J, accused of helping the main suspect to identify potential targets, have been remanded in pre-trial detention pending further action. Deter was charged with multiple offenses, including scouting US military facilities and other sensitive sites, arson, plotting an explosion, and working with Russian intelligence.
The arrests of three suspected spies for MSS come barely a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited China to discuss several issues with Beijing, including China’s economic policies and its support for Russia since it invaded Ukraine.
Commenting on the suspected Chinese espionage activities in Germany, Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), told DW, that China was actively engaged in espionage activities in Germany, just like Russia.
“The [BfV] was involved in the investigation very early on, or we initiated these investigations, and once the evidence was clear, we could hand this case over to the police and public prosecutors,” he added.
However, Germany is not the only country fighting Chinese espionage as fears of Chinese spying increase in the UK. Later Monday, the UK authorized charges against two British citizens who allegedly provided prejudicial information to China, breaching the Official Secrets Act.
The two suspects, Christopher Berry, 32, and Christopher Cash, 29, will be arraigned in court on Monday, according to a statement on Friday as stated by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Cash was arrested in September 2023 for allegedly spying while working as a researcher in the UK parliament. However, his lawyer issued a statement denying the accusations.
Last month, the UK government summoned chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in London over accusations of Chinese-state-backed hackers hacking and stealing data from UK watchdog and spying on UK lawmakers.
However, China denied any wrongdoing, terming the allegations “completely fabricated.”
China Denies Involvement
Following the reports of alleged Chinese espionage in Germany, the Chinese side firmly rejected the claims, adding that such allegations should not be exploited to “defame China.”
“We call on Germany to desist from exploiting the espionage accusation to politically manipulate the image of China and defame China,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Berlin said in a statement emailed to media outlets.
The latest arrests linked to suspected Chinese spying in Europe are a stark reminder of the growing concerns about increasing Chinese espionage activities in the West; the UK and German intelligence services are on high alert following the latest incidences.