Germany's domestic intelligence agency BfV has named China, Russia and Iran as "major actors" involved in "transnational repression," warning that people who flee these "authoritarian states" may continue to face surveillance, threats and intimidation even after arriving in the European country.
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"Beijing-linked activities have targeted Chinese activists and German critics of China's one-party system, as well as Uyghurs, Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners and individuals supporting Hong Kong's democracy movement or Taiwan," the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution said in its report.
"China's political leadership relies on intelligence services and other actors operating under its direction or on its behalf to monitor and intimidate critics outside China," it added.
Some of the activities described by the BfV have also been documented in German court proceedings and government records.
In September 2025, the Dresden Higher Regional Court found Jian G, a German citizen of Chinese descent, guilty of "particularly serious intelligence activity" on behalf of China and sentenced him to four years and nine months in prison.
The court found that Jian had been working for a Chinese intelligence service since 2007. One of his main tasks involved spying on and identifying Chinese opposition figures.
Germany has also introduced a criminal provision targeting unlawful activities carried out at the direction of foreign states. As mentioned in the BfV report, Section 87a of the German Criminal Code, which came into effect on April 2, provides for up to five years in prison for certain unlawful acts carried out in Germany on behalf of a foreign state.
(With ANI inputs)
