Norwegian arrested for alleged spying for China, report: 'significant intelligence threat'

A Norwegian citizen has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, Norway's NTB news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the Scandinavian country's domestic security agency.

The person, whose identity was not released, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of espionage “that could benefit China”, according to NTB's report, based on information from the security agency, known by its Norwegian acronym PST.

The suspect, who will face a court hearing later on Tuesday in Oslo, is suspected of serious intelligence activities involving state secrets, NTB said. PST wasn't immediately available for comment.

The suspect's lawyer, Marius Dietrichson, told the VG newspaper that his client denies being an agent for China.

Dietrichson, PST and the Chinese embassy in Oslo did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

In its annual threat assessment, the Norwegian domestic security service said that China “will be a significant intelligence threat in 2024.”

“This is due in particular to the deterioration in the relationship between China and the West, China's desire for more control over supply chains, and positioning in the Arctic,” said the assessment, which was published in February. PST also said that the intelligence threat from China was “significant.”

Norway has uncovered other suspected foreign intelligence activity in the country.

In 2022, Norway arrested an academic working as a lecturer at the Arctic University of Norway in Tromsoe, who had entered Norway as a Brazilian citizen, and was suspected of spying for one of Russia's intelligence agencies. Jose Assis Giammaria, who has confirmed his real name is Mikhail Mikushin, arrived in Norway in 2021 and researched the northern regions and hybrid threats. Norway's Arctic border with Russia is 198 kilometres (123 miles) long.

A trial date for Mikushin's case hasn't been set.