China’s Long Reach: How a German Activist Turned Aide Was Accused of Spying on Dissidents.
In 2017, Jian Guo sat quietly in Dharamshala, India, as Tibetan parliamentarians and pro-democracy activists met to discuss Beijing’s repressive policies. A naturalised German, Guo was then a rising figure among Chinese dissidents in Europe. He posed for photographs with Tibetan leaders, even with the Dalai Lama. Tibetan media hailed him and others as “Chinese supporters of the Tibet campaign.” But suspicions soon surfaced. Dissidents noticed Guo breaking unspoken security rules: pushing to meet activists at home, probing about the Dalai Lama’s health, and pressing younger members for their real names. “We became a little bit alert,” recalls human rights advocate Tienchi Martin-Liao.
Despite unease, Guo rose within the Federation for a Democratic China, eventually becoming secretary general. He built a reputation as efficient, modest and, at times, overbearing. What few realised was that Guo was simultaneously forging ties with far-right German politician Maximilian Krah, later becoming his aide in Brussels. Last year, German prosecutors accused Guo of spying for Beijing since 2002. Authorities allege he leaked more than 500 documents—including sensitive European Parliament files—to Chinese intelligence, and collected information on dissidents as recently as 2024. He denies wrongdoing, insisting he simply values “German-Chinese friendship.”
Guo’s arrest forms part of a broader picture. Western governments say China has long sought to infiltrate exile communities and silence critics abroad. The ICIJ’s China Targets investigation, working with 42 media partners, has traced how Beijing’s repression extends far beyond its borders—relying not only on professional agents but also civilians coerced or recruited into service.
In Turkey, a Uyghur trader, Shadeke Maimaitiazezi, was jailed after prosecutors accused him of spying on fellow exiles. He claims he was forced into it under threats to his family. Swedish and Swiss authorities are investigating similar cases. Activists say such tactics sow fear and mistrust, weakening opposition networks. “This is global,” warns Nicholas Eftimiades, a former US intelligence officer. “They’re reaching out everywhere to destroy opposition, and intelligence is one of the tools.”
Beijing rejects the allegations as “media hype,” accusing critics of politicising ties with China. But for dissidents in Europe, Canada and beyond, the consequences are very real. As one activist put it: “When someone joins your conference, they know who was there. The Chinese government wants to know everything.”