Germany charges 3 with spying on naval tech for China

They allegedly gathered information on boat engines, sonar, drones and other technologies and illegally exported specialised lasers to China
German prosecutors have charged three German nationals (Herwig F., Ina F., and Thomas R.) with spying for Chinese intelligence. The suspects allegedly worked with China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) from 2017 to April 2024, gathering sensitive information about maritime and military technology.
According to prosecutors, Thomas R. acted as an agent for the MSS and connected with the married couple (Herwig F. and Ina F.), who owned a company in Düsseldorf. The group collected information about:
Boat engines
Sonar systems
Aircraft protection systems
Motors for armored vehicles
Military-capable drones
THEY ALSO ALLEGEDLY:
Arranged a knowledge transfer agreement with a German university for ship engine technology
Illegally exported three specialized "dual-use" lasers to China
The suspects were arrested in April 2023, with charges filed in December. Thomas R. remains in pre-trial detention, while the couple was released in October. This case is part of a broader pattern of alleged Chinese espionage in Germany, including other recent incidents involving suspected spying on defense installations and naval bases.