A man who works for a German lawmaker in the European Parliament has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, prosecutors have said.

The suspect, identified only as Jian G in line with German privacy rules, was arrested on Monday in Dresden, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

They said he had worked for a German lawmaker in the European Union’s legislature since 2019.

The statement did not specify which lawmaker employed him, but German public broadcaster ARD and magazine Der Spiegel reported that he worked for Maximilian Krah of the far-right Alternative for Germany – the party’s top candidate in the European Parliament election in June.

Jian G, a German national, is accused of working for a Chinese intelligence service and of repeatedly passing on information on negotiations and decisions in the European Parliament in January.

Prosecutors also allege that he spied on Chinese dissidents in Germany.

German interior minister Nancy Faeser said the spying allegations were “extremely serious”.

“If it is confirmed that there was spying for Chinese intelligence from inside the European Parliament, then that is an attack from inside on European democracy,” Ms Faeser said in a statement.

“Anyone who employs such a staff member also carries responsibility,” she added.

“This case must be cleared up precisely … all the connections and background must be illuminated.”

News of the arrest came a day after three Germans suspected of spying for China and arranging to transfer information on technology with potential military uses were arrested in a separate case.

Also on Monday, prosecutors in the UK said a former researcher working in Parliament and another man had been charged with spying for China.