Maximilian Krah, a prominent German far-right lawmaker from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, has announced the impending dismissal of his assistant, Jian Guo. Guo’s arrest on Monday by German authorities alleges his involvement in espionage activities on behalf of a Chinese intelligence agency. Prosecutors claim Guo, a German national who has worked for Krah since his election to the European Union legislature in 2019, provided confidential information regarding negotiations and decisions within the European Parliament during January. Additionally, Guo is accused of monitoring Chinese dissidents residing in Germany. Following a court order on Tuesday night to detain Guo pending a potential indictment, Krah convened a meeting with party leaders on Wednesday. He stated that he had held a constructive and serious discussion with them. Krah expressed his intention to dismiss Guo from his position as a result of the court’s custody order. He emphasized his keen interest in clarifying the situation and conducting a thorough investigation into the accusations against Guo. Krah and his office will work to reconstruct Guo’s work to gain a comprehensive understanding. Krah acknowledged that the arrest has cast a shadow over the election campaign and announced his absence from AfD’s official opening campaign rally on Saturday. However, he firmly asserted his position as the lead candidate and vowed to redirect the campaign’s focus towards European issues and leave behind this unpleasant matter. Krah maintains his innocence and denies any wrongdoing on his part. Guo’s arrest follows the recent apprehension of three German individuals suspected of espionage for China and engaging in the transfer of information related to technology with potential military applications. Moreover, British prosecutors have charged a former researcher employed by the U.K. Parliament and another individual with spying for China.
German Far-Right Lawmaker Dismisses Assistant Arrested for Alleged Chinese Spying
