• Four individuals, including two Chinese nationals, arrested in France for espionage.
• They allegedly attempted to intercept satellite data from Starlink and military entities.
• Investigations revealed satellite equipment installed at an Airbnb rental.
• Charges carry a potential 15-year prison sentence for espionage-related offenses.
• The arrests are part of increasing tensions over Chinese spying allegations in Europe.

French authorities have arrested four people, including two Chinese nationals, suspected of spying for China by intercepting sensitive military data. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that these individuals were detained in the Gironde region after attempting to capture data from the Starlink satellite internet system among other key entities, with plans to transmit this information back to Beijing. The arrests occurred following local residents' reports about the installation of a suspiciously large satellite dish at an Airbnb rental coinciding with an internet outage, according to SCMP and Channel News Asia.

The investigation revealed that the two Chinese nationals had entered France under the pretense of working as engineers for a company specializing in wireless communication. They were formally charged with attempting to transmit classified information to a foreign power, which could results in a sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment. Two others involved were arrested for allegedly importing the equipment illegally, highlighting the serious nature of the allegations against them, according to Le Monde and SCMP.

Authorities noted that upon searching the Airbnb property, they discovered a computer system connected to satellite dishes capable of capturing satellite data. This operation raised significant concerns regarding national security and the potential for exposing sensitive military exchanges, which has only exacerbated existing tensions between Western nations and China over allegations of state-sponsored cyber espionage, as reported by Channel News Asia and Le Monde.