Chinese Intelligence Operative Identified as Either Agent 007 or 0815?
In a high-profile trial at the Higher Regional Court, Jian G., a former aide to the far-right German politician Maximilian Krah, is facing charges of espionage for China over a long period dating back to 2002.
Prosecutors allege that Jian G., a 48-year-old German citizen, unlawfully accessed and supplied over 500 highly sensitive documents from the European Parliament to Chinese authorities. The information reportedly included details on discussions and decisions within the parliament as well as intelligence on prominent figures within Krah's political party, the AfD.
Alongside Jian G., a second defendant named Yaqi X., a Chinese national working at Leipzig Airport in logistics, is accused of assisting him. She is alleged to have provided data related to the transportation of defense goods, flights, freight, and passengers, potentially supplying China with sensitive military and logistical information.
Yaqi X., a 39-year-old Chinese woman, last worked for Portground, a service provider at Leipzig-Halle Airport. Her lawyer states that she, despite being a member of the Communist Party of China, is not interested in politics.
Maximilian Krah denies having any knowledge of or involvement in the espionage activities and states that he never discussed internal party matters with Jian G.
The trial began in Dresden in August 2025 and highlights concerns about Chinese espionage targeting German political and military information. The presiding judge, Hans Schlüter-Staat, dismisses the accusation of political motivation.
During the trial, Jian G. remains silent and claims to be just a dedicated employee of Maximilian Krah. Yaqi X., on the other hand, claims to have known nothing about Jian G.'s espionage activities. Despite her concerns about possible personal consequences, she sent a passenger list of a charter flight transporting military vehicles from Rheinmetall to Portsmouth.
The lawyer for Jian G. suggests that his client's arrest in April 2024 was politically motivated to harm Krah ahead of the upcoming European election. There are 13 trial dates scheduled until the end of September.
Yaqi X. says she passed on information to Jian G. because she thought it was a good thing to improve relations between China and Germany through his work in the European Parliament and with his party, the AfD.
The trial is a reminder of the ongoing concerns about foreign espionage in Germany and the need for vigilance to protect sensitive information.
[1] The Local [2] Deutsche Welle [4] BBC News
- The espionage trial of Jian G., a former aide to a far-right German politician, has brought general-news headlines amidst allegations of unlawful access to sensitive European Parliament documents for China, including details on political party discussions and figures, as well as potential military and logistical information from Leipzig Airport.
- Crime-and-justice reporting has focused on the trial of Yaqi X., a Chinese national, who is accused of assisting Jian G. by providing logistical data and is facing charges for her potential role in the espionage scandal, while maintaining that she is not interested in politics.
