NATO Members ‘Chasing Shadows’ With Spying Cases, China Says

The arrest of several people in Europe over allegations of spying for China has ignited a fiery diplomatic response from Beijing.

China’s Foreign Ministry has criticized the actions, suggesting that the governments that made the charges are manufacturing fears of a “China spy threat” to tarnish its global image.

“We urge relevant parties to stop chasing shadows and vilifying China,” spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at the ministry’s regular press conference on Wednesday.

The arrests came as Germany, the United Kingdom, and a number of other NATO members are on heightened alert over Chinese intelligence operations, technology theft, and surveillance of Chinese dissidents within their borders.

Beijing’s sharp rebuke of the allegations underscores its sensitivity to accusations of overseas intelligence operations, particularly at a time when its relationships with European nations are fraught.

In Germany, the focus of the controversy is an aide to Maximilian Krah of the Alternative for Germany party, Jian Guo, who was arrested for allegedly transmitting sensitive information about European Parliament discussions and spying on Chinese opposed to Beijing’s ruling Communist Party.

Krah, who is running for reelection at the top of his party’s candidate list, publicly addressed the situation, saying on X (formerly Twitter) that he had learned of the arrest from the news that morning.

“Spying for a foreign state is a serious accusation. If the allegations prove true, it will result in the immediate termination of Mr. Guo’s employment with me,” he said.

The episode prompted a broader security discussion in Germany. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who visited China last week, described the situation as “very concerning.” An Interior Ministry spokesperson said the episode “shows the very considerable risk of espionage, of attempts by China to exert influence in the European Union and in Germany.”

In a separate case, three individuals were arrested in Germany for allegedly transmitting to China sensitive technology to be put to military use.

British authorities announced on Monday that Christopher Cash, who worked for a China research group set up by British members of parliament, would be charged alongside another man, Christopher Berry. Both are accused of “providing prejudicial information to a foreign state, China,” throughout 2022 up until February 3, 2023. Cash has said he is innocent.

Newsweek reached out to the British Crown Prosecution Service with a written request for comment.

Earlier this month in Sweden, authorities expelled a Chinese woman who had been working as a journalist, citing national security concerns, local broadcaster SVT reported Monday.

According to the report, she has connections to the Chinese embassy and was involved with people in Sweden linked to the Chinese government.

The woman arrived in the Nordic country about 20 years ago, married a Swedish man and had a family. Her lawyer did not divulge many details about the case but said the woman doesn’t believe she represents a threat to the Nordic country.