2 suspected Chinese spies detained in Germany over high-tech espionage

German authorities said Thursday they detained two suspected Chinese spies accused of carrying out high-tech espionage with potential military applications.

Prosecutors identified the suspects as Xuejun C. and Hua S., who were apprehended Wednesday in Munich following a joint investigation by police and Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV.

In a statement, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said the Federal Court of Justice ordered the two German citizens held in pretrial detention after judges reviewed initial evidence and found sufficient grounds for custody.

Prosecutors allege the married couple actively worked for a Chinese intelligence service, spying on “high-tech capabilities with potential military applications” and passing sensitive technical information to Chinese authorities and companies linked to the defense sector.

Investigators said the pair cultivated contacts with scientists at German universities and research institutions, including professors in aerospace engineering, computer science, and artificial intelligence, and at times approached them under false pretenses by posing as interpreters or employees of an auto manufacturer.

Some scientists were invited to give lectures on the understanding they would deliver paid talks to civilian audiences. Instead, according to prosecutors, the lectures were presented to representatives of China’s state-owned defense companies.