Four suspects, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested last week in Gironde for "delivering information to a foreign power" likely to "harm the fundamental interests of the nation", the Paris prosecutor's office reported on Thursday.

Published on: 02/05/2026 - 5:02 p.m. Modified on: 02/05/2026 - 5:33 p.m.

A new case of alleged espionage in France. Two Chinese nationals as well as two other people were indicted on Thursday February 5 in Paris for alleged espionage for the benefit of Beijing.

These four suspects, arrested last week in Gironde, were referred in particular for "delivery of information to a foreign power" of a nature "to harm the fundamental interests of the nation", describes the Paris prosecutor's office. These alleged offenses carry up to 15 years in prison.

Following their indictment, the two Chinese nationals were placed in pre-trial detention, according to a source close to the case, the two other people were placed under judicial supervision.

“My client stayed in France for strictly professional reasons. He completely contests the accusations made against him and has no link with any spy service,” commented Me Baptiste Bellet, lawyer for one of the Chinese nationals.

“The judicial information will confirm the reality of his situation and establish his innocence,” continues this council.

Defenders of the other defendants could not immediately be reached.

An intriguing two-meter parable

The Paris prosecutor's office clarified on Wednesday that the arrival of the two Chinese nationals in France was intended to "carry out a mission to capture satellite data from the Starlink network and data from entities of vital importance, particularly military, in order to retransmit them to their country of origin, China".

The investigation, led by the anti-cybercrime section of the Paris prosecutor's office, was entrusted to the DGSI (General Directorate of Internal Security).

On January 30, the police were informed that two people of Chinese nationality were suspected of carrying out satellite recording operations from their rented Airbnb in Gironde. At the origin of the affair: local residents had noticed the deployment of a dish approximately 2 meters in diameter, correlated with an internet disconnection.

During a search carried out the next day, investigators discovered "a system of computers connected to parabolic antennas allowing the capture of satellite data", which was seized for exploitation.

Capture of exchanges between military entities

The national radio frequency agency, requested, had noted "the illegal use of frequencies, the non-compliant use of radio equipment, the jamming of frequencies, the illegal possession of technical devices for capturing computer data".

The device made it possible to "illegally intercept the downward flow of satellites, in particular exchanges between military entities of vital importance", the prosecution had underlined.

These two Chinese had, for their visa application, declared that they worked as engineers for a company specializing in the research and development of wireless communication equipment and systems, according to the public prosecutor.

This company cooperates with universities establishing military projects, according to the same source.

Two other people were arrested when they showed up at the accommodation, suspected of having illegally imported the equipment, the prosecution said.

This is therefore a new case of alleged espionage for the benefit of China in France. In mid-December, a teacher-researcher at the institute of engineering and mechanics of Bordeaux, prefecture of the Gironde department, was indicted on suspicion of interference for the benefit of China by having allowed a Chinese delegation to enter prohibited sensitive areas.

This professor, left free under judicial supervision, is being prosecuted in particular for "delivery of information to a foreign power", "intelligence with a foreign power" and "complicity in intrusion into a closed premises or grounds of national defense".

Several espionage cases linked to China have also shaken Europe in recent months.

With AFP

Keywords associated with the article

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.