Thread by @LCueilleur

Beijing's ears in Munich
#thread

The interception of enemy communications is an important element of China's espionage techniques. In recent years, Beijing has invested a lot of money in new #SIGINT stations around the world. China's ears are also growing in Europe 1/14

Almost 10 years ago, China opened a new Consulate General in Munich, Hofmannstraße 57. The largest of its kind in Europe. The equipment on the roof has also been expanded over the last 5 years. Security experts suspect #SIGINT activities behind this and more 2/14

Security experts suspect that one dish is used for #SIGINT operations. The other is used to transmit the collected data to China. Both dishes are located on rotating heads (racking rotor). Main targets are likely to be the Middle East and the African continent 3/14

With Google Earth Timelapse and other providers, you can clearly see the movement of one of the two dishes. There is a change of position every few months 4/14

Interesting point. The Chinese Consulate General in Munich also uses a Starlink satellite terminal. A map on Starlink’s homepage indicates the service isn’t available in China 5/14👇 starlink.com/map

Technical experts suspect a range of spy equipment for the immediate vicinity of the Chinese property under the covered mast. Including technology for counter-intelligence: Smartphones, cell phones, radio monitoring or drone defence system and more 6/14

This tower camouflage system is important if you want to hide something. Hidden highly sensitive signal technology. Just a stone's throw away from the Chinese Consulate General is one of the most sensitive properties owned by the major corporation SIEMENS 7/14

The ‚EAGLE DataCentre‘. The ‚golden nuggets‘ of Siemens AG, such as intellectual property or highly classified data, are stored there 8/14👇 siemens.com/de/de/produkte…

The data centre is built in 2013. In June 2015, construction of the Chinese Consulate General will start in the immediate neighbourhood. This is likely to raise questions. A Siemens image video advertises the high level of security of the facility 9/14

https://x.com/Siemens/status/940868465484877824

A conference on national cyber security will be held in Potsdam at the end of June 2024. The who's who of German business, science, security and politics will meet there. Conclusion: China is seen as a greater threat than Russia 10/14

#BND Vice President Dag Baehr: Germany, as a ‚still high-tech nation‘, must monitor this (China) and protect itself adequately 11/ 14 heise.de/news/Nationale…

At the conference @sicherimnetz, the focus was on China's cyberattacks. It is part of Beijing's strategy. The interception of signals/information from civilian, military and other areas is demonstrated by the Chinese property in the centre of the Munich metropolitan region 12/14

The suspected Chinese #SIGINT field station in Munich is just one example in a series of other stations on the European continent and beyond. A good recent summary of China's massive SIGINT expansion in Cuba - on the doorstep of the US 13/14

https://x.com/CSIS/status/1808190227451670718

Thanks for all the information and technical answers to the experts around the globe - special thanks to @giammaiot2 14/14