Former Head of German Intelligence Suspected of Passing Secret Information to China, According to Der Spiegel

The former head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND), August Hanning, who was detained on suspicion of espionage and disclosure of state secrets, allegedly had contact with a Chinese military official and passed confidential information to him.

According to the publication, Hanning is suspected of passing top-secret information to a foreign intelligence service, as well as providing sensitive data to a representative of the Chinese armed forces.

Hanning is accused of obtaining nearly 2,000 internal documents between 2010 and 2012 through his former chief of staff, 64-year-old Manfred Dankesreiter.

It is alleged that the former head of German intelligence used some of this material to prepare an analytical report for an officer of a foreign intelligence service. According to media reports, the service in question is Azerbaijan’s intelligence agency.

The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office also stated that Hanning was in “close contact” with an employee of another foreign intelligence service. Over the course of several years, he allegedly passed on confidential political information to him, some of which was based on materials from the Federal Intelligence Service.

According to Der Spiegel, contact with the former head of the BND was maintained by Wang Jianzhen—a retired major general in the Chinese army who also served as a military diplomat in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for 23 years.

Wang first arrived in East Berlin between 1987 and 1990, toward the end of the German Democratic Republic’s existence. After German reunification, he returned to the country twice more. His last posting there was from 2009 to 2013.

Wang is now considered one of the most influential Chinese experts on German affairs. He continues to work at the Chinese Institute of International Strategic Studies—a state-run think tank operating under the auspices of the Chinese armed forces.

According to Der Spiegel, Wang Jianzhen likely met with August Hanning at several conferences.

In addition, they both served on the advisory board of the Sino-German Eco-Park in Qingdao, in eastern China.

Hanning’s alleged contacts with the Chinese military official have become part of an investigation into the possible disclosure of classified information and collaboration with foreign intelligence services. This information is based on media reports and the investigators’ suspicions.

This information was reported by Der Spiegel.

As a reminder, on October 4, the FBI arrested California resident Zhang Wanying, who is suspected of spying on the son of Taiwan’s president. According to investigators, the woman may have been acting on the instructions of Chinese officials.

A 51-year-old resident of the Odesa region was sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property for treason.

The SBU urged Ukrainians not to post photos or videos of Russian attacks.

The SBU detained a soldier whom Russia had recruited through a dating website.