Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin held a regular Press Conference on April 23, 2024. 

AFP: According to reports, the assistant of a German politician standing for this June’s EU elections has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China. Do you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: We noted relevant reports and the media hype. But the truth is there for all to see. The so-called “threat of Chinese spies” is not a new thing in Europe. Every time before or after China-Europe high-level interactions in recent years, there would be such a hype, with a clear intention of smearing and hitting China and souring the atmosphere of China-EU cooperation. 

Let me stress that China carries out cooperation with European and all other countries on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, and advances mutually beneficial cooperation with relevant parties in accordance with laws and regulations. We hope that relevant people in Germany will ditch the Cold War mentality and stop the political manipulation aimed at China with so-called “spy risks.”

Bloomberg: To follow up on the question from my colleague from the AFP, you said “the so-called China spy threat” in response to this specific case. Are you denying that this person who has been arrested in Germany is a spy for the Chinese government? And also on the three Germans who were arrested earlier, I think a couple of days ago, are you also denying that those three people are also spies for China?

Wang Wenbin: I shared China’s position just now. Recent reports about so-called China’s spying in Europe are all hypes aimed at smearing and hitting China. Not just in Germany, we also noted reports in the UK in the past few days. We firmly oppose such hype and we urge relevant parties to stop spreading disinformation about so-called “China spy threat” and stop political manipulation and malicious smears against China.

BBC: Following the previous questions, there are two men charged in Britain also accused of spying for China. Does the Chinese government deny that they were spying for China or does the Chinese government have any response to this?

Wang Wenbin: If you follow China’s press statements, you will have noted that China already responded to relevant reports last September. We would like to reiterate that the claim that China could be stealing UK intelligence is a groundless accusation and malicious smear, and we firmly oppose that accusation. Such malicious manipulation aimed at China should stop.

Bloomberg: The German authorities have not released the full names of any of the people they have arrested on accusations of spying yet. And so we do not know any of the details, including who they are. Notwithstanding that, are you categorically denying that these four people are spies for China, even though you do not know their names?

Wang Wenbin: Although you don’t know the full names of the arrested people, you do know that they’ve been publicly accused by Germany for “spying for China.” Let me make it clear, the so-called “China spy threat” is purely groundless and a malicious smear.