Raphael
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http://deepcor.com/news/1171/merkel-denounces-nsa-spying-in-beijing
German Chancellor Angela Merkel raised concerns over allegations of US spying with the arrest of a potential mole in the German Federal Intelligence Service during her visit in China.
Chancellor Merkel said in a press conference with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang that “If the allegations are true, it would be a clear contradiction as to what I consider to be trusting cooperation between agencies and partners. If the reports are correct, it would be a serious case.” Further, she added that “As a nation, we have a duty to protect our economy and our intellectual property rights.”
The statement came as a response to the arrest of a man working for the German Federal Intelligence Service on suspicion of passing secret documents to the US. Two American officials, who wish to remain anonymous, stated to Reuters that the Central Intelligence Agency was involved in the man’s recruitment and handling within Germany. CIA Director John Brennan has asked to brief the US Congress on this matter, which could lead to international backlash.
US-German relations have already been strained by the Snowden revelation, which shows that the US National Security Agency has been eavesdropping on Chancellor Merkel’s private communications. It was further revealed that, according to a separate document from the NSA’s Special Source Operations unit, the Obama administration has obtained a top-secret court order to monitor communications related to Germany. Attempts by the German government to establish a “no-spy” agreement with the US has failed this last May, which deteriorated US-German relations considerably.
Chinese Prime Minister Li stressed in the press conference that “China and Germany are both victims of cyber-espionage. The Chinese government is against the theft of Chinese intellectual properties and trade secrets.” This is likely a response to the NSA’s spying of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, codenamed ‘Shot Giant’, which saw the installation of “back doors” into Huawei network products and infrastructures. Cyber-warfare between the US and China has escalated considerably with several attacks instigated by China’s People’s Liberation Army cyber corps aimed at US firms and government.
However the chief purpose of Chancellor Merkel’s visit is to strengthen Sino-German economic and trade cooperation. German firms—such as, but not limited to Volkswagen and Lufthansa—have received trade deals with the Chinese, which would expand Germany’s investment in China. Economic ties between the two nations have reached unprecedented heights; Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Germany in March. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited China in mid-April and Sigmar Gabriel, the vice chancellor and economics minister, visited late April. German export to China reached $91 billion last year, and Chinese export to Germany topped $99 billion.
Sino-German relations have been strained before, due to concerns over human rights and Chinese industrial espionage—particularly with Chancellor Merkel’s meeting with Tibet’s Dalai Lama in 2007, who was and still is considered by the Chinese government as a dangerous separatist. But it is now possible that Germany is reconsidering her strategic alignment in the future with the rise of spying scandals with the US, using trade as an opener for better relations. China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said in a commentary that “It is fair to say that China-Germany relations are at their best in history, which have been strongly underpinned by the pragmatic cooperation between the two economic heavyweights.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel raised concerns over allegations of US spying with the arrest of a potential mole in the German Federal Intelligence Service during her visit in China.
Chancellor Merkel said in a press conference with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang that “If the allegations are true, it would be a clear contradiction as to what I consider to be trusting cooperation between agencies and partners. If the reports are correct, it would be a serious case.” Further, she added that “As a nation, we have a duty to protect our economy and our intellectual property rights.”
The statement came as a response to the arrest of a man working for the German Federal Intelligence Service on suspicion of passing secret documents to the US. Two American officials, who wish to remain anonymous, stated to Reuters that the Central Intelligence Agency was involved in the man’s recruitment and handling within Germany. CIA Director John Brennan has asked to brief the US Congress on this matter, which could lead to international backlash.
US-German relations have already been strained by the Snowden revelation, which shows that the US National Security Agency has been eavesdropping on Chancellor Merkel’s private communications. It was further revealed that, according to a separate document from the NSA’s Special Source Operations unit, the Obama administration has obtained a top-secret court order to monitor communications related to Germany. Attempts by the German government to establish a “no-spy” agreement with the US has failed this last May, which deteriorated US-German relations considerably.
Chinese Prime Minister Li stressed in the press conference that “China and Germany are both victims of cyber-espionage. The Chinese government is against the theft of Chinese intellectual properties and trade secrets.” This is likely a response to the NSA’s spying of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, codenamed ‘Shot Giant’, which saw the installation of “back doors” into Huawei network products and infrastructures. Cyber-warfare between the US and China has escalated considerably with several attacks instigated by China’s People’s Liberation Army cyber corps aimed at US firms and government.
However the chief purpose of Chancellor Merkel’s visit is to strengthen Sino-German economic and trade cooperation. German firms—such as, but not limited to Volkswagen and Lufthansa—have received trade deals with the Chinese, which would expand Germany’s investment in China. Economic ties between the two nations have reached unprecedented heights; Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Germany in March. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited China in mid-April and Sigmar Gabriel, the vice chancellor and economics minister, visited late April. German export to China reached $91 billion last year, and Chinese export to Germany topped $99 billion.
Sino-German relations have been strained before, due to concerns over human rights and Chinese industrial espionage—particularly with Chancellor Merkel’s meeting with Tibet’s Dalai Lama in 2007, who was and still is considered by the Chinese government as a dangerous separatist. But it is now possible that Germany is reconsidering her strategic alignment in the future with the rise of spying scandals with the US, using trade as an opener for better relations. China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said in a commentary that “It is fair to say that China-Germany relations are at their best in history, which have been strongly underpinned by the pragmatic cooperation between the two economic heavyweights.”
