Illustrative photo from open sources
A Chinese woman has been arrested in Leipzig on suspicion of acting as a foreign agent and passing on information about arms supplies, the German Attorney General said in a statement published on Tuesday, October 1, Reuters reports.
The suspect, identified only as “Jaki H,” is accused of passing on information she obtained while working for a logistics company at Leipzig/Halle Airport to a Chinese intelligence officer who is facing a separate criminal investigation, the statement said.
Another Chinese national, identified only as “Jian G,” worked as an assistant to Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. He was arrested this year on charges of spying for Beijing.
Kra is at the center of ongoing scandals that have seen the AfD expelled from the Identity and Democracy group of far-right parties in the European Parliament.
Another former Kra aide, Guillaume Pradura, is one of the figures in the investigation into Kra's ties to Russia and China. In particular, the matter concerns Kra's involvement in Russian propaganda activities carried out through the news site Voice of Europe.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000The investigation “is linked to indications of Russian interference, where MEPs were approached and paid to promote Russian propaganda through… the Voice of Europe,” prosecutors said at the time.
According to German media reports, Maximilian Krah spent some time in Hong Kong and Shanghai as a student and has since visited China several times, openly making pro-Russian and pro-Chinese statements.
In a recent YouTube interview, Kra said his hotel accommodation and meals during a 2019 trip to China were paid for by Huawei and other Chinese entities.
According to Der Spiegel, Kra was questioned by the FBI last December over possible payments from Kremlin-linked sources.
According to the charges against the new suspect, the information provided by Yaki X in 2023 and 2024 included flight, cargo and passenger data, as well as information on the transport of military equipment and individuals linked to a German arms company, Germany's attorney general said.
Concern has been growing in Western Europe over reports of possible Chinese espionage.
Tensions between Berlin and Beijing have also risen as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz unveiled a strategy to reduce the risk of economic ties Germany with China, calling China a “partner, competitor and systemic rival.”
Prepared by: Sergey Daga