August M
Norwegian authorities are investigating two separate suspected espionage cases involving Chinese citizens arrested near strategically important military and aerospace facilities in the country’s north.
The incidents, both unfolding in Nordland county, have raised new security concerns surrounding surveillance activities near NATO infrastructure and Arctic defense installations, reports DR News.
NATO-linked site
According to Norway’s Police Security Service (PST), a 46-year-old Chinese man was remanded in custody after allegedly staying for a period inside a bunker at Bodø Air Station.
The military section of the base houses NATO’s regional Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC), which coordinates air operations across the Nordic region.
Police prosecutor Kathrine Tonstad told DR News that investigators are examining whether the suspect attempted to obtain information connected to the military side of the facility.
“The investigation must reveal whether the accused has attempted to obtain information related to the military part of Bodø Air Station, and if so, for what purpose,” Tonstad said.
The man has denied the allegations, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Second espionage probe
The arrest follows another recent case involving a Chinese woman detained on the island of Andøya earlier this month.
Norwegian authorities reportedly seized a 22-ton satellite receiver during the investigation and suspect a Norwegian-registered company may have acted as a front for Chinese state interests.
Andøya is considered strategically important because it hosts military facilities, a spaceport, and testing areas linked to advanced weapons systems.
According to Norwegian media, the country’s armed forces use the area to test systems including NASAMS air defenses and HIMARS launchers.
China has rejected the accusations, calling them “baseless and malicious.”
Security signal
Swedish criminologist Anna Lioufas from the FOI Total Defence Research Institute said Norway’s unusually public handling of the investigations may itself be intended as a political message.
“In our report, we saw that very few countries are actually that transparent,” she told DR.
Lioufas said some European states prefer quietly expelling suspected spies, while others publicize investigations to signal resolve toward foreign intelligence operations.
She added that strategic Arctic infrastructure and satellite-related facilities make northern Norway especially attractive for espionage activity.
Broader concerns
Lioufas recently co-authored a study examining espionage convictions across Europe between 2008 and 2024.
The research found that most convicted spies in Europe were linked to Russia, though several cases involved China and focused on long-term strategic objectives such as research and infrastructure monitoring.
The study also noted that many individuals involved in espionage cases were ordinary civilians without security clearances.
“Anyone can actually be a spy,” Lioufas said.
Sources: DR News, NRK, VG
