A Czech citizen detained in China since the end of June is being investigated on suspicion of offenses endangering national security, China’s Foreign Ministry said. The Czech Foreign Ministry announced the detention and said its officials were in consular contact with the citizen, but would not provide further details.

Background

Czech news website Seznam Zpravy reported that a Czech businessman active in China had been detained by Chinese security forces at an airport, and was expected to be charged with espionage. The report said Czech intelligence services had long suspected Beijing might detain a Czech national to exchange for suspected Chinese intelligence operative Yang Yiming, who was arrested in Prague in January.

Yang, identified by local media as a reporter for a Chinese Communist Party-affiliated newspaper, is awaiting trial in the Czech Republic on charges of conducting “unauthorised activity for foreign power”. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news briefing the detained Czech citizen’s rights were fully guaranteed, while describing charges against the Chinese journalist in Prague as trumped-up and urging the Czech Republic to “immediately release the relevant personnel” and safeguard their rights and interests.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.