German police arrested an associate of an MEP from the far-right Alternative for Germany party. on suspicion of a "particularly serious case" of espionage in favor of China, Reuters reported, referring to the German prosecutor's office, BTA writes.
Jiang G., associate of Maximilian Kra - leading candidate of "Alternative for Germany" for the European elections in June, is accused of providing the Chinese intelligence service with information about negotiations and decisions in the European Parliament, prosecutors said in a statement.
Jiang G., who lived in Brussels and the East German city of Dresden, also spied on Chinese opposition figures in Germany, prosecutors said. The authorities arrested him yesterday in Dresden and searched his apartments.
"He is charged with a particularly serious case of cooperation with a foreign secret service," the statement said.
Speaker of "Alternative for Germany" said the news was "very worrying". "However, since we currently have no further information on the case, we must wait for the results of the prosecution's investigation,", said the spokesperson.
German Interior Minister Nancy Feser said the espionage allegations were "very serious," according to the Associated Press.
"If it is confirmed that there was espionage in the European Parliament for the benefit of Chinese intelligence, then this is an attack on European democracy from within," Feser noted in a statement. "Anyone who appoints such an employee is also responsible," she added. "This case must be examined precisely, all connections and prerequisites must be brought to light," the minister's statement also says.
Krah and the Chinese Embassy have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The suspect was arrested on the same day three German nationals were arrested on suspicion of working with China's Ministry of State Security to transfer technology that could be used for military purposes.
The arrests come a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited China, where he aimed to put pressure on Beijing over its support for Russia's wartime economy and raise the issue of intellectual property theft and fair market access.