AFP: According to reports, the assistant of a German politician standing for this June’s EU elections has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China. Do you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: We noted relevant reports and the media hype. But the truth is there for all to see. The so-called “threat of Chinese spies” is not a new thing in Europe. Every time before or after China-Europe high-level interactions in recent years, there would be such a hype, with a clear intention of smearing and hitting China and souring the atmosphere of China-EU cooperation. 

Let me stress that China carries out cooperation with European and all other countries on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, and advances mutually beneficial cooperation with relevant parties in accordance with laws and regulations. We hope that relevant people in Germany will ditch the Cold War mentality and stop the political manipulation aimed at China with so-called “spy risks.”