German authorities have provisionally arrested the assistant of a German member of the European Parliament on suspicion of spying for China, Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office said.
According to reports, German citizen Jian G. was arrested by the Saxony State Criminal Police in Dresden. The suspect, who has been identified as an employee of a Chinese secret service, had been working for the European Parliament member since 2019. He allegedly transmitted information about negotiations and decisions in the European Parliament to his intelligence client and also spied on members of the Chinese opposition in Germany.
The MEP involved has not been named in the press release. The suspect is scheduled to appear before an investigating judge later on Tuesday to determine if an arrest warrant and preventive detention will be issued.
This arrest comes after German authorities announced the arrest of three German citizens for allegedly spying for China.
In response to the arrests, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin called the allegations an “exaggeration” and accused Germany of trying to discredit and suppress China. Wang emphasized China’s commitment to promoting mutually beneficial cooperation with Europe and urged relevant parties to stop spreading false information and engaging in political manipulation against China.
The office of a far-right German member of the European Parliament confirmed that the assistant, Jian G., had indeed been arrested. The MEP has not made any public comments on the arrest.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior declined to comment further on the matter, and it is currently unclear if the suspect has legal representation.
CNN is inquiring with the Chinese embassy in Berlin for their response to the allegations.