German Education and Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger called on the country's universities to scrutinize all joint projects with China in view of the recent arrests on espionage charges, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
"The arrest of three Germans on suspicion of espionage once again clearly shows that we should not be naive in our relations with China," she told the German magazine "Wirtschaftsvohe". "We must be more careful in assessing the risks and benefits of cooperation, especially in the field of science and universities. This includes reviewing the existing forms of cooperation," added the minister. Stark-Watzinger noted that support should only be given to projects "which clearly have added value for Germany and Europe".
A week ago in the western German cities of Düsseldorf and Bad Homburg, a married couple and another man were arrested on suspicion of obtaining information on military technology to pass it on to the Chinese secret services, DPA recalls. According to federal prosecutors, they were in talks with a German university about a research project, the results of which could be useful in boosting the combat power of the Chinese navy.