Germany arrested suspects engaged in espionage for the Chinese Communist Party, leading to the summoning of the German ambassador in Beijing. At a press conference held by the Foreign Ministry regarding China’s double standards, foreign journalists repeatedly questioned and pressed the spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, who found himself at odds.
The German Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated on Thursday (April 25th) that the German ambassador in China was summoned by Beijing to respond to allegations of several individuals being involved in Chinese Communist espionage activities.
In addition, the Chinese ambassador to Berlin was earlier called in by Germany this week to receive a briefing on Germany’s clear stance in the ongoing investigation into Chinese espionage activities.
On Tuesday (23rd), an assistant to a member of the Alternative for Germany party in the European Parliament, Jian G., was arrested. He is suspected of transmitting information discussed within the EU to Chinese intelligence agencies and engaging in spying activities against overseas Chinese dissidents.
Earlier, Germany arrested three individuals in another case involving the transfer of sensitive technology to China for military purposes. These actions reflect broader concerns in Europe regarding Chinese espionage activities.
German Ambassador to China, Patricia Flor, confirmed on social media platform X on Thursday that she was summoned by Beijing.
“This week, four Germans were arrested on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities for the Chinese intelligence agencies, and today I was summoned by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. This move is intriguing, but it also presents a good opportunity to explain some things:
1) We do not tolerate any espionage activities within Germany, regardless of the country of origin.
2) We protect our democracy and rule of law through legal means.
3) The Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Germany leads the investigation, and the final verdict on the above accusations will be determined by an independent court.”
During the routine press conference of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday (26th), a reporter from the Anadolu Agency of Turkey inquired about the summoning of the German ambassador in Beijing, asking Wang Wenbin to explain the reason for the summoning and the topics discussed during the meeting.
Wang Wenbin evaded the question and categorically denied espionage activities, but he did not provide any evidence.
He stated, “The so-called ‘China (CCP) espionage case’ is purely fabricated, and China has lodged a solemn representation to Germany over their groundless accusations.”
He did not make any commitment on whether China would cooperate with the German investigation, instead resorting to the familiar rhetoric of refuting Western claims – stating that China “firmly opposes” and urging to “stop malicious sensationalism and the anti-China political farce.”
Ultimately, Wang Wenbin’s textbook responses faced strong rebuttals.
A Bloomberg journalist questioned, “On March 31, 2022, the Australian ambassador in China complained that his request to attend the trial of Cheng Lei was denied. Cheng Lei was accused of espionage activities in China at the time.”
At that time, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry responded, stating that China adheres to the rule of law, with judicial organs rigorously handling cases according to the law and fully safeguarding the litigation rights of relevant individuals. The spokesperson also emphasized that relevant parties should duly respect China’s (CCP) judicial sovereignty and refrain from interfering in China’s (CCP) judicial processes in any form.
“Why was it inappropriate for Ambassador Fu Guanhan to comment on China’s (CCP) legal system back then, but now it is appropriate for China to summon the German ambassador to complain about Germany’s legal system?” The reporter persisted.
Facing direct accusations of double standards from Western journalists, Wang Wenbin struggled to respond.
He said, “I believe it is entirely inappropriate to draw comparisons between these two scenarios.”
Then, Wang Wenbin justified, “We have repeatedly emphasized that the so-called ‘Chinese espionage threat theory’ is purely groundless.”
“I think you should be clear; this is not a matter related to judicial systems,” he added.
However, he still failed to provide any evidence or specifics.