Investigation initiated against ex-AfD politician Krah
In early August 2025, the trial of Jian Guo, a former aide to Saxon AfD politician Maximilian Krah, began at the Higher Regional Court in Dresden. Jian Guo stands accused of espionage for a Chinese intelligence agency dating back to 2002, including his employment in Krah's European Parliament office from 2019 until his arrest in April 2024.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office considers the case to be "particularly serious." Prosecutors allege that Jian Guo unlawfully supplied more than 500 sensitive European Parliament documents to China and surveilled Chinese opposition figures in Germany.
Jian Guo and a second defendant, Yaqi X., who allegedly provided him with flight and cargo data, especially regarding military shipments, face multiple trial hearings scheduled through September 2025.
The defense denies the espionage accusations, claiming Jian Guo only engaged in legitimate communication with Chinese officials related to foreign trade and did not pass on sensitive information. Krah, now a Bundestag member, has denied knowledge of Jian Guo's alleged spying activities.
The trial is being covered by the Middle German Broadcaster and is taking place before the State Protection Senate, with 13 trial dates scheduled until the end of September 2025.
Jian Guo is a German citizen and is charged with espionage in a particularly serious case. The trial is significant as it exemplifies the comprehensive surveillance interest of China in relation to political, economic, and military matters in Germany and the European Union.
The arrest of Jian Guo amidst the EU election campaign caused a stir, with Maximilian Krah's office in Brussels being searched. As an assistant to the then AfD MEP Krah in Brussels, Jian Guo is said to have collected information on consultations and decisions of the European Parliament. He is also accused of collecting information on leading AfD politicians.
Krah has since resigned his mandate in the European Parliament and is currently under investigation by the General Prosecutor's Office in Dresden for money laundering and corruption as a mandate holder in the EU Parliament.
The trial's main proceedings were opened at the beginning of July 2025. Jian Guo's alleged accomplice, Jaqi X., a Chinese national, is also charged and accused of having worked with Jian G. In a twist, both defendants are in custody, with G. arrested in Dresden in April 2024 and Jaqi X. arrested in Leipzig in September.
[1] Middle German Broadcaster, "Trial of Former AfD Aide Begins in Dresden", August 4, 2025. [2] Deutsche Welle, "Former AfD Aide Jian Guo on Trial for Espionage", August 4, 2025. [3] Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, "Former AfD Aide Jian Guo Accused of Espionage", July 1, 2025. [4] Bild, "Trial of Former AfD Aide Jian Guo Begins in Dresden", August 4, 2025. [5] Spiegel Online, "Former AfD Aide Jian Guo on Trial for Espionage", August 4, 2025.
The trial of Jian Guo, a former aide to Saxon AfD politician Maximilian Krah, is being closely followed by the Middle German Broadcaster and other general-news outlets, as it delves into the politics of espionage and crime-and-justice. Krah, now a Bundestag member, is also under investigation for money laundering and corruption, further entwining the case with German politics.
