Germany Probes China Reporters for Snooping Around Military
- Xinhua reporters covered Merkel visit to NATO unit in Germany
- They’re said to have filmed hardware and interviewed soldiers
Chancellor Angela Merkel greets members of the NATO unit during a visit in Munster, Germany on May 20.
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Germany’s military is investigating what information three Chinese reporters collected while Chancellor Angela Merkel visited a NATO unit, signaling heightened mistrust of the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The Xinhua reporters raised suspicion by filming military equipment and interviewing soldiers about their daily routines, according to a person familiar with the incident who asked not to be identified discussing security matters. They were accredited along with other journalists to enter the base and report on Merkel’s visit to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force training area at Munster, Germany, on May 20.