Technology Transfer from Germany

“Technology transfer from Germany,” drills down to look at Europe’s biggest national economy which is also a center of science research and innovation, with significant industrial interests in Europe and globally. Like its predecessor, this chapter uses mostly primary sources to examine political influencing and connected transfer activities, establishing first facts. Technology transfer takes place via a well-constructed and comprehensive network including overseas Chinese student, scholar and professor-level associations, professional guilds, diplomatic activity from Chinese embassy and consulates, wide-ranging collaboration from German academia, research, and business, and outright theft and espionage. Germany has a large system of research institutes outside of universities; some have collaborated on sensitive technologies, for example with the CPC’s main nuclear weapons development institute. The chapter closes with a look at how German researchers themselves assess the situation; a rare case of Chinese industrial espionage taken to court; and some responses from the counterespionage authorities.