BEIJING: China on Wednesday (Apr 30) warned Germany in opposition to “smearing and vilifying” it after a former aide to a scandal-hit lawmaker from the far-right AfD occasion was charged over spying on behalf of Beijing.
The alleged spy, named by prosecutors as Jian G, is suspected of working with Chinese language intelligence since 2002, together with whereas he was an aide to the Various for Germany (AfD) MEP Maximilian Krah between 2019 and 2024.
“We urge the German facet to cease smearing and vilifying China, and to take concrete actions to uphold the constructive momentum within the growth of bilateral relations,” international ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated.
“The so-called ‘China espionage threat’ is solely fabricated and malicious slander,” Guo stated, including China “has all the time upheld the ideas of mutual respect”.
Krah was the occasion’s high candidate in final yr’s European elections, however was excluded from its delegation after feedback during which he minimised the crimes of the Nazis’ infamous SS.
Krah has since been welcomed again into the AfD fold and was elected as an MP within the German parliament in February’s snap common election.
Prosecutors stated Jian G, a German nationwide, used his job as Krah’s assistant to “collect data on the deliberations and selections of the European parliament” for Chinese language intelligence, together with “procuring greater than 500 paperwork, a few of which had been categorized as notably delicate”.
