Three German citizens were arrested on Monday for allegedly gathering sensitive naval data and obtaining a high-powered laser on behalf of the Chinese security services, prosecutors said. The individuals involved include a man identified as Thomas R., who acted as an “agent” for the Chinese Ministry of State Security, and a married couple, Herwig and Ina F., who ran an engineering company in Düsseldorf.
The arrests come at a sensitive time for Germany, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently visited China to sign bilateral trade agreements. However, Germany remains vigilant to the threat posed by Chinese espionage, with the German minister of the interior, Nancy Faeser, emphasizing the danger to business, industry, and science.
In a separate incident, British authorities charged two men with violating the Official Secrets Act for allegedly sharing information with China. The men, Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash, were bailed to appear in court on Friday.
The threat of Chinese espionage was further highlighted by a recent incident where Chinese hackers stole sensitive documents from Volkswagen. Experts warn of China’s aggressive trade practices, with the German government labeling China as a “systemic rival” in a national strategy paper released last year.
The arrests in Germany occurred as police searched the homes and workplaces of the suspects. The couple, Herwig and Ina F., used their company to establish a research partnership with a German university, under the guise of working for a legitimate business partner. They commissioned a study on machine parts crucial for developing high-powered ship motors and illegally exported a high-powered laser to China.
Germany’s minister of justice, Marco Buschmann, warned that anyone working for foreign intelligence services in Germany and illegally exporting militarily useful material would face consequences. The suspects had been working for China since at least June 2022 on research projects benefiting the Chinese Navy.
There has been no public comment from Chinese authorities on the matter. The investigation and arrests highlight the delicate balance between economic cooperation and national security concerns in the relationship between Germany and China.
