German authorities confirmed on Monday that three people have been arrested over suspicion of supplying critical military-related technology and information to the Chinese secret service.
3 German Citizens Supplied Chinese Spies with Critical Military Tech
According to reports, the three German citizens have been in contact with Chinese actors as early as June 2022. The suspects were also found to have exported special lasers with the help of funding from Chinese spy agencies, breaching German export laws.
The homes of the three suspects living in Duesseldorf and near Frankfurt have already been thoroughly searched by the authorities.
According to federal prosecutors, one of the three suspects was found to be working on behalf of an agent of China's Ministry of State Security, which tasked him to collect information on "militarily usable innovative technologies.
German authorities have arrested three individuals suspected of providing critical military-related technology and information to the Chinese secret service. The suspects, based in Duesseldorf and near Frankfurt, were found to have exported special lasers with funding from Chinese spy agencies.
How the Suspects Secured Critical Military Tech
Prosecutors said that the individual was able to get his hands on these critical technologies by working with two individuals running a company that regularly works with German researchers working on relevant technologies.
This suspect, along with the aforementioned conspirators, devised a complex scheme to gather critical information. They allegedly agreed to a "research transfer agreement" with an undisclosed German university, starting the process by starting a study for a Chinese partner about machine parts technology, specifically those applicable to powerful ship engines, such as those used in battleships.
Prosecutors assert that the handler of the caught suspect working for China's state security agency was instrumental in facilitating the involvement of the Chinese partner, with the project being financially backed by the Chinese government.
According to reports, the suspect was already in talks to start more dummy research studies to continue extracting valuable military tech intelligence potentially used to benefit the Chinese navy.
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Germany-China Relations
For some time, Germany has maintained close economic ties with China, with the Asian superpower being Germany's biggest trade partner.
However, Germany has recently taken a more cautious approach to dealing with China, a strategy aligning with the European Union. According to CSIC, Germany now firmly views China as "capable of impinging on its security as well as its economic interests."
In 2023 Germany's interior ministry announced that it would impose harsh regulations requiring telecom providers to dramatically limit their reliance on Huawei and ZTE equipment in their 5G networks by 2026. This decision comes amidst growing concerns over national security and potential vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.
The arrests occurred just a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to China. During his trip, he pushed for China to end its support for Russia's wartime economy. Additionally, Chancellor Scholz addressed concerns regarding intellectual property theft and fair access to markets.
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