Politics Espionage for China? Two suspects arrested in Germany
German law enforcement authorities have arrested two suspected Chinese spies in Munich.
20.05.2026, 12:30
SDA
The couple, who are German nationals, are said to have made contact with scientists at German universities on behalf of a Chinese secret service. According to the information provided, they wanted to obtain "scientific information on high technology for military use".
Measures were taken in several federal states, according to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe. These relate to people who are listed as witnesses. They are not suspects. In Munich, the homes and workplaces of the two detainees were searched.
German scientists lured to China
The contacts of the suspected spies included "in particular professors in the fields of aerospace engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence", the authorities added. The suspects are said to have posed as interpreters or as employees of a car manufacturer. "Some scientists were lured to China under the pretext of giving lectures to a civilian audience for a fee. In reality, however, such lectures were then given to members of state-owned arms companies."
The two arrested spouses are to be brought before the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice today, who will issue the arrest warrants and decide on their pre-trial detention. The proceedings were conducted in cooperation with the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution - the German domestic intelligence service. The police investigation is being conducted by the Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation.
