Suspected Spy: Individual of Chinese Nationality Faces Allegations of Espionage in Aircraft Industry
In a rural area of Haute-Garonne, French counterintelligence made a startling discovery: a highly specialized satellite dish installed on a farmhouse balcony near farm silos. The antenna, which had been in operation for three years, was tuned to intercept signals from CNES (French National Centre for Space Studies) ground stations, managing observation satellites developed by Airbus and Thales.
The homeowner, Dong H., is a former employee of Beijing’s Academy of Science and Technology and the president of Stahd Europe, a subsidiary of the Chinese communications company Emposat. This direct link to Chinese espionage efforts has raised serious national security concerns.
The antenna's position suggests it could have intercepted communications between the teleport and the satellites it manages, posing a significant threat to France's space and telecommunications infrastructure. However, no concrete evidence has been found proving the illegal collection or transmission of information to a foreign power.
The white house, located on the edge of a road in the countryside, had drawn attention from neighbors and the French army. A neighbor claimed that the owners, a Chinese national and her husband, had mentioned they were conducting research for NASA and selling data to them. Another neighbor, a garage owner, noticed the antenna and reported it to authorities.
The antenna, measuring 7 meters, was dismantled, and the house is now abandoned. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, the incident is believed to be one of the largest espionage operations targeting France in recent years.
Pierre-Antoine Donnet, editor-in-chief of Asia magazine, claims that China surpasses the United States in espionage activities. He suggests that there are both visible and clandestine espionage services operated by China, with thousands of Chinese engineers and hands working to recover Western technologies for their own benefit.
This case underscores how espionage can operate covertly even in rural settings, highlighting the need for vigilance and continued efforts to protect France's national security.
The homeowner's past employment and current position could potentially exploit technological advancements for China's gain, raising questions about the integrity of justice in this matter.
Pierre-Antoine Donnet's assertion suggests that the marriage of Chinese espionage and technology could pose a substantial challenge to global justice, as thousands of engineers work to secure Western technologies for China.
