Trial for spying charges involving ex-AfD politician Krah
In the Higher Regional Court of Dresden, a trial is currently underway against Jian G., a former assistant to Maximilian Krah, a prominent member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Jian G., who holds dual German-Chinese citizenship, is accused of spying for China since 2002[1][2][3][4].
The defendant is alleged to have passed on more than 500 documents, including sensitive materials from the European Parliament, while serving as Krah's aide from 2019 to 2024[1][2][3][4]. The espionage activities are said to have included gathering intelligence on leading AfD politicians such as Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, and spying on Chinese dissidents in Germany by posing as a government critic on social media to infiltrate opposition networks[3][4].
Jian G. is also said to have acted as the handler for another alleged Chinese operative, Yaqi X., a Chinese national accused of spying on German arms manufacturers and providing information related to flights, cargo, and passengers at Leipzig Airport, including details about military equipment transport and contacts linked to a German arms company[2][3][4].
The trial, which opened on August 5, 2025, is expected to last until September. The case is described as unprecedented in revealing the extent of Chinese espionage interests in Germany's political, military, and economic sectors[2][4]. Maximilian Krah himself has been called as a witness and is under separate investigation for alleged money laundering and corruption; he denies any wrongdoing, labeling the accusations politically motivated[3].
Jaqi X., another co-defendant, is accused of assisting the defendant and is said to have transmitted data on flights, cargo, and passengers, particularly regarding the transport of military goods[2][3][4]. She admitted passing on information to Jian G. due to his efforts to improve relations between China and Germany within the European Parliament and the AfD. Jaqi X. began providing such data in the summer of 2023, but she had concerns about personal consequences. She only learned about her acquaintance's alleged espionage activities when media reported on his arrest[2][3][4].
The defendant's lawyer portrays Jian G. as an engaged employee of Krah, primarily involved with the topic of foreign trade. Jaqi X., on the other hand, was asked by her former lover for information under the pretext of improving Leipzig Airport's relations with Chinese airports[2][3][4]. She met the Krah employee after coming to Germany to study in 2015, and they remained in contact after a brief romantic relationship.
The trial against the co-defendants is scheduled for 13 sessions until the end of September. The indictment alleges that both defendants have been employees of a Chinese intelligence agency since 2002 and 2019 respectively. However, both defendants deny these allegations. It is not ruled out that their conversation partners had connections to a Chinese intelligence agency.
Jaqi X. stated that she didn't know and still doesn't know that her former lover is a spy. She claims to know nothing about the alleged agent activity of the Krah employee. The trial is shedding light on the seriousness and scale of Chinese espionage activities in Germany, a fact that has been emphasised by trial commentary.
[1] BBC News [2] Deutsche Welle [3] Reuters [4] The Guardian
Other publications, such as The Guardian, have reported on the general news that the ongoing trial in the Higher Regional Court of Dresden involves not only Jian G., but also another co-defendant, Jaqi X., who is accused of aiding in the crime-and-justice context, specifically spying on German arms manufacturers and providing information related to flights, cargo, and passengers at Leipzig Airport. Moreover, politics is stirred as Maximilian Krah, a prominent member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and a witness in the trial, is facing separate investigations for alleged money laundering and corruption.
