Three German citizens have been arrested in Germany on the suspicion that they cooperated with the Chinese intelligence service to transfer technology that could be used for military purposes to China, reports Reuters.
Prosecutors identified the suspects as Herwig F. and Ina F., a married couple who run a company in Düsseldorf, and Thomas R., who prosecutors described as an agent of an employee of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS).
Through their company, the couple entered into a cooperation agreement with a German university, as part of which they prepared a study “for a Chinese contract partner” on machine parts that can also be used to operate high-powered marine engines, such as warships. The Chinese contractual partner was the MSS employee from whom Thomas R. received the orders, according to the German prosecutor’s office.
The suspects also bought a special laser in Germany in the name and with the financing of MSS and exported it to China without permission.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to China exactly one week ago to pressure Beijing over its support for Russia’s war economy. According to Germany, China exports dual-use products to Russia that can also be used on the battlefield.
