German authorities arrest 2 on China high-tech espionage allegations

Investigators on Wednesday arrested two Munich residents on suspicion of spying for China, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor (Generalbundesanwaltschaft) said. 

The suspects are a married couple with German citizenship, identified as Xuejun C. and Hua S..

What are the couple accused of? 

Prosecutors said the pair were suspected of working for a Chinese secret intelligence agency. 

"In order to obtain access to scientific information about high-tech technologies with military applications, they built up contacts with numerous scientists at German universities and research institutes," prosecutors wrote. 

In particular, they focused on fostering contacts with "university professors in the areas of aerospace and space travel, IT and artificial intelligence."

Among other roles, they are said to have posed as translators and employees of a German car parts supplier to gain access.

"Some scientists were lured to China on the premise of delivering lectures to the civilian audiences for remuneration," prosecutors alleged. "In reality, these presentations then took place in front of associated of state-run weapons companies." 

What else happened in Wednesday's operation? 

The two individuals were arrested on Wednesday on the authority of a warrant issued a week earlier; federal prosecutors worked in conjunction with authorities in Bavaria. 

The couple were taken to the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) in Karlsruhe later on Wednesday for a decision on their being held in investigative detention. 

The Munich residences and workplaces of the suspects were searched.

Further operations in connection with the arrests also took place across the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.

These were aimed at establishing contact with witnesses who are not under suspicion of criminal activity.

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Edited by: Wesley Dockery

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