A Chinese reporter has been arrested in Prague on suspicion of gathering intelligence on behalf of Beijing, Czech authorities said Thursday.
Why It Matters
The arrest follow a spate of suspected Chinese espionage operations across Europe targeting politicians, strategic industries and Chinese dissidents.
Western governments have also raised alarm bells over hacking networks linked to Chinese intelligence and security organs, reinforcing fears about the scale and persistence of Beijing’s ability to obtain sensitive information and disrupt critical infrastructure.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese embassy in Prague and the Czech Department of Justice by email with requests for comment.
What To Know
A Chinese national, believed to have ties to Chinese intelligence services, was detained early Saturday in a coordinated operation with the Czech police’s National Centre Against Terrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime unit, Czech counterintelligence agency BIS announced on X.
Prosecutors charged the man with unauthorized activity for a foreign power, marking the first use of the offense since it was introduced in February 2025.
Czech media outlet Seznam Zprávy cited sources familiar with the investigation as identifying the suspect as Yang Yiming, an accredited correspondent for the Chinese Communist Party–run Guangming Daily.
During his time in NATO-member the Czech Republic, Yang systematically sought to build networks among political figures and opinion-shapers viewed as more receptive to Beijing’s positions than the broader European mainstream, the agency wrote.
Yang also cultivated relationships with politicians in neighboring Slovakia, The Slovak Spectator reported, including Parliament Speaker Richard Raši.
What People Are Saying
Jakub Janda, director of the Prague-based European Values Center for Security Policy, wrote on X: “This criminal case will definitely impact relations with the Chinese Communist Party.”
Jan Zahradil, former Czech member of parliament, was quoted by political commentary site ParlamentníListy.cz, speaking of the latest anti-espionage measure: “Our security services invested a great deal of energy in having this law approved under the previous government, so demonstrating in practice that it can be used is in the interest of everyone who wishes to preserve it.”
What Happens Next
If convicted, Yang faces up to five years in prison.
His arrest occurred shortly after the formation of a new Czech government under Prime Minister Andrej Babiš in December, who campaigned on a populist “Czechia First” platform.
Senior officials have said Babiš hopes to reopen economic channels with China and may visit Beijing later this year. Ties with Beijing deteriorated in recent years amid Prague’s warming ties with Taiwan, the self-governed island China claims as its territory.
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