Germany arrests three people suspected of spying on technology for China

Three Germans have been arrested on suspicion of working with the Chinese secret service to deliver technology that could be used for military purposes, potentially helping to strengthen China's Navy, German authorities said on Monday.

The arrests came a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to China to pressure Beijing over its wartime support for the Russian economy and to raise issues of intellectual property theft and fair market access.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the government was monitoring what she called a significant threat posed by Chinese espionage in business, industry and science.

“We look very closely at these risks and threats and clearly warn and raise awareness about them so that protective measures are increased everywhere,” she said in a statement.

In this case, the issue of innovative German technologies that could be used for military purposes was “particularly sensitive”, he added.

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in a statement: “At the time of their arrest, the defendants were in further negotiations regarding research projects that could be particularly useful for expanding China's maritime combat power.”

China's Foreign Ministry and the Chinese embassy in Berlin did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Prosecutors identified the suspects as Herwig F. and Ina F, a couple who run a business in Dusseldorf, and Thomas R., described by prosecutors as an agent of an unnamed official from China's Ministry of State Security (MSS).

The arrests were made based on information collected by the US internal intelligence agency. Germanyprosecutors said.

Last week, the Germany arrested two Russian-German citizens on suspicion of spying for Russia.

They would have planned sabotage attacks with the aim of undermining the military support of the Germany to Ukraine in its war against Russia.