In brief
A former aide to German far-right AfD politician Maximilian Krah, Jian Guo, has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for espionage activities. Guo was found guilty of passing confidential information to Chinese authorities from 2019 to 2024. Despite his claims of innocence, the Dresden court ruled against him.
Jian Guo, an aide who worked for a leading member of Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for espionage on behalf of China. Guo served as an aide in Brussels for Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament, until he transitioned to the German parliament.The court proceedings in Dresden revealed that Guo gathered sensitive information and transmitted confidential documents to Chinese authorities between 2019 and 2024. Throughout the trial, Guo maintained his innocence, asserting that he did not collaborate with Chinese intelligence. Krah, in support of Guo, testified that he became aware of the allegations against his former aide only through media reports last month.This case highlights concerns around espionage amid the increasing geopolitical tension between Germany and China.
