Aide to member of European Parliament arrested over charges of spying for China

Based on German prosecutors, the suspect repeatedly handed on details about negotiations and selections within the European Parliament to his intelligence consumer in January this 12 months.

“He additionally spied on Chinese language opposition figures in Germany for the intelligence service,” the assertion mentioned.

Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament for the German far-right Various for Germany (AfD) social gathering since 2019, later confirmed media reviews that the suspect was his worker.

“I discovered in regards to the arrest of the member of my employees, Jian Guo, from the press this morning,” Krah mentioned in an announcement. “I don’t have any extra data. Spying for a overseas state is a severe accusation. If the allegations show true, it can consequence within the speedy termination of Mr. Guo’s employment with me.”

A spokesperson for the AfD described reviews of the arrest as very disturbing.

German Inside Minister Nancy Faeser known as for the “extraordinarily severe” allegations to be “rigorously cleared up.”

“Whether it is confirmed that spying for Chinese language intelligence companies occurred from within the European Parliament, then that’s an assault on European democracy from inside,” she mentioned.

The accusation of spying on members of the Chinese language opposition in Germany is simply as severe, Faeser mentioned, including that “anybody who employs such a employees member additionally bears the accountability for them.”

The Chinese language International Ministry on Tuesday described the “so-called Chinese language espionage actions” reported in Germany and the UK as “hype.”

“We urge related events to cease spreading faux information about this so-called ‘Chinese language espionage menace’ and cease this anti-China political manipulation and slander,” mentioned spokesman Wang Wenbin.

In Germany, the arrest sparked renewed criticism of Krah — even from his personal social gathering ranks.

“He has been an issue for the delegation for the final 5 years along with his offbeat angle towards China, Russia, the USA, Israel, ladies and rather more,” tweeted Sylvia Limmer, Krah’s AfD colleague within the E.U. Parliament.

Konstantin von Notz, a German Greens social gathering lawmaker, mentioned the arrest of Krah’s worker is additional proof of the far-right AfD’s authoritarian tendencies.

“[The AfD] makes no secret of its contempt for our democracy and our constitutional state. And that clearly makes their politicians very susceptible to affect and management from China and Russia,” von Notz instructed German media outlet RND.

Earlier this month, the AfD was accused in Parliament of boosting Russian propaganda and undermining German safety following reviews of a Russian disinformation marketing campaign through the pro-Russian platform Voice of Europe. Interviews with Krah and fellow AfD politicians Petr Bystron had been printed on the location.

German media additionally reported final week that Krah was grilled by the FBI in December over potential funds from pro-Russian patrons — accusations that Krah characterised as “absurd and fabricated.”

Beatriz Rios in Brussels and Lily Kuo in Taipei contributed to this report.