A Chinese citizen, identified as Yaqi X., has been detained in Leipzig, Germany, on suspicion of espionage. This was reported by the German news agency Deutsche Welle on October 3.
The woman is accused of spying for Chinese intelligence, gathering sensitive information about arms shipments from a key military logistics hub.
The suspect reportedly worked for a logistics company at Leipzig-Halle Airport, which is a critical center for Germany's military exports, including weapons shipments to Ukraine.
According to German prosecutors, Yaqi X. collected data on military cargo, flights, and personnel between August 2023 and February 2024. She allegedly passed this information to Jian G., another suspect already under separate prosecution.
Leipzig-Halle Airport plays a vital role in the transportation of military equipment, making it a strategic target for espionage.
Yaqi X.'s activities included monitoring shipments and people linked to a German defense company, which media sources suggest could be Rheinmetall, the country's largest arms manufacturer.
Jian G., who allegedly received the information from Yaqi X., had earlier been detained for his role in espionage activities.
He reportedly worked as an assistant to Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament representing the far-right party Alternative for Germany. Investigators believe Jian G. was involved in spying on Chinese dissidents in Germany and providing intelligence about European parliamentary affairs to Chinese authorities.
In May, the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office conducted searches in Krah's office in connection with Jian G.'s activities. Krah is also suspected of having received money from Russian and Chinese intelligence services.
