A employee of AfD politician Maximilian Krah has been arrested in Dresden on suspicion of espionage for China. The General Prosecutor’s Office accuses him of spying for China and passing information from the European Parliament to China. The AfD has called the reports “very disturbing.” The suspect, identified as Jian G., has been working for a German member of the European Parliament since 2019, believed to be Krah. According to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, he spied on the Chinese opposition movement and shared information with China. It is alleged that he engaged in espionage for a foreign intelligence agency in a particularly serious case.
Jian G. is a 43-year-old Chinese-born individual who came to Germany after studying there and worked as a businessman, where he allegedly met Krah. According to security agencies, Krah’s connections to China had been under scrutiny for some time. G. had offered to be an informant to German authorities about ten years ago but was deemed unreliable and potentially a double agent for China. He is expected to appear before a judge at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe to determine the issuing of a warrant and the enforcement of pre-trial detention. The AfD spokesperson expressed concerns about the arrest and stated that they await further information from the Federal Prosecutor’s ongoing investigation.
David McAllister, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, described the arrest as an “outrageous and very serious incident.” He urged the AfD to take action in light of the situation. Konstantin von Notz, Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee in the Bundestag, criticized the AfD for their authoritarian tendencies and suggested that the party is susceptible to influence and control from China and Russia. Peking denied the espionage allegations, stating that they were intended to defame and suppress China. In addition to the arrest in Dresden, individuals in Hessen and North Rhine-Westphalia were also detained on Monday in separate cases involving espionage for China.
The Chinese government has vehemently denied the accusations of espionage, claiming that they are aimed at undermining China-Europe cooperation. The cases in Hessen and North Rhine-Westphalia involve a man and a couple, with one of the accused allegedly procuring information on militarily usable technologies for China. The cases are unrelated, according to reports. The arrest of individuals connected to espionage for China has raised concerns about the influence and infiltration of foreign intelligence in Germany, particularly within the AfD party. The ongoing investigations by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office are expected to shed more light on these espionage activities and their implications for national security and international relations.
The arrest of an AfD employee on espionage charges has highlighted the potential risks of foreign interference in German politics and the European Parliament. The involvement of Chinese intelligence in spying on opposition movements and dissidents in Germany has raised alarms among officials and experts. The allegations of espionage have led to calls for the AfD to address any internal vulnerabilities that may make its members susceptible to foreign influence. The broader implications of these cases on Germany’s national security and relations with China have also sparked debates and discussions within political circles and among security agencies. As the investigations continue, the focus remains on uncovering the extent of foreign espionage activities and safeguarding Germany’s democratic institutions and sovereignty.
