German writer tells of Chinese spy in Taiwan

• By William Hetherington / Staff writer

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A German veteran journalist and author said the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) has confirmed his suspicion that he was followed by a Chinese spy on Alishan (阿里山) last year.

Jurgen Kremb, who has long researched Chinese intelligence agencies, Asian geopolitics and cross-strait relations, made the comment during an interview with Taiwan Plus on Sunday.

A video of the interview was subsequently shared by the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei on its Facebook page.

A composite image shows German author Jurgen Kremb during a media interview with Taiwan Plus that aired on Sunday.

Photo: Screen grab from Taiwan in Canada’s Facebook page

Kremb said that last year, while writing a report on Chinese espionage activities targeting Taiwan, he traveled to Alishan with friends. A young Asian woman approached them and struck up a conversation, but Kremb immediately noticed that she spoke with a distinctly northern Chinese accent rather than a Taiwanese one.

He said he was even more surprised when they returned to their hotel and found the woman sitting in the lobby, directly beside one of his colleagues.

He said he immediately warned his friends that she was an intelligence agent from China, and told them to stop talking on the phone.

Although his friends were initially skeptical, Kremb said his experience as the former editor-in-chief of a German magazine and his years working in China had taught him how to quickly identify intelligence operatives.

After returning to Taipei, they reported the incident to the investigation bureau. The bureau reviewed surveillance footage and confirmed that the woman, who had not checked into the hotel, had followed them, hiding behind cars and around street corners, Kremb said.

After the bureau intervened, the woman left Taiwan two days later, he added.

Kremb said he had faced daily surveillance and intimidation while working in China and was eventually expelled after developing reliable sources.

His experience has given him a clear understanding of Chinese intelligence operations, and he has even written a book about German intelligence agencies, he said.

He added that he was surprised to see similar surveillance and intimidation tactics being used in Taiwan.

“Seeing this with my own eyes in Taiwan felt like a warning,” he said. “I was not shocked, but I was very surprised.”

The MJIB yesterday confirmed the account of being followed and subsequently reporting the incident, as described by Kremb, was accurate.

It said it launched an investigation after receiving the report last year, but declined to provide further details, citing restrictions on disclosing information about an ongoing investigation.

The incident shows China has long carried out transnational repression worldwide, targeting not only Chinese and Taiwanese, but anyone who opposes communist authoritarianism or advocates democracy, freedom and human rights, it said.

Taiwan will continue working with democratic partners to counter China’s extraterritorial reach and transnational repression, it said.