A China spying investigation in France has placed two Chinese nationals and two additional suspects under formal judicial scrutiny for allegedly intercepting sensitive military communications. French prosecutors said the operation centered on a covert satellite interception setup discovered inside an Airbnb rental in southwestern France. Authorities described the case as a serious national security threat with potential ties to Beijing.
According to the Paris public prosecutor’s office, police arrested the four individuals over the weekend in the Gironde region. Investigators believe the two Chinese nationals rented the Airbnb to operate equipment designed to capture sensitive data, including military intelligence. The prosecutor’s office said the case involves the “delivery of information to a foreign power” likely to harm key national interests, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The China spying probe began after local residents reported the installation of a satellite dish roughly two meters in diameter on January 30. The installation coincided with a local internet outage. A search the following day uncovered “a system of computers connected to satellite dishes enabling the capture of satellite data,” prosecutors said. Officials stated the setup allowed for the interception of “exchanges between military entities.”
Investigators allege the two Chinese nationals traveled to France intending to capture data from the Starlink satellite internet system and other “entities of vital importance” before transmitting the information back to China. Visa applications showed the suspects claimed to work as engineers for a research and development company specializing in wireless communication equipment.
Two suspects remain in custody, while two others were placed under judicial supervision. The case follows another recent espionage investigation involving a French academic accused of allowing a Chinese delegation access to restricted research facilities.
