Two Chinese nationals suspected of trying to intercept satellite communications from a base in an Airbnb rental property in southwestern France have been placed under formal investigation, the Paris public prosecutor's office said on Thursday.
Police were first alerted last week when locals noticed that a roughly two-metre-wide satellite dish being installed at the property in Gironde, which coincided with an internet outage, the office said.
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The two Chinese nationals, and two other people, were arrested and brought before an investigating judge on Wednesday and were formally placed under investigation.
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The case is the latest in a series of incidents involving allegations of Chinese spying in Europe.
Tensions between Beijing and Western powers over espionage have risen in recent years as Western intelligence agencies increasingly sound the alarm on alleged Chinese state-backed hacking activity. China has consistently denied the allegations. China has also alleged hacking operations by Western countries.
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The judicial investigation will focus on alleged offences including the unlawful disclosure of sensitive information to foreign entities, potentially harming national interests, and the organised theft of data from an automated processing system.
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