Czech MEP Gregorová detained in China
The gist
Czech MEP Markéta Gregorová says Chinese police held and questioned her for about 90 minutes at Beijing airport.
She links it to a Czech spying trial and wants an explanation from Beijing.
How it unfolded
- Oct 26, 2026Gregorová was stopped at border control on landing at Beijing Capital Airport and held for about 90 minutes; she says she was the only one of 15 EU officials in the delegation to face such problems.
- Oct 26, 2026She says police took her aside, banned her phone use so she could not contact anyone, and that neither her diplomatic passport nor an invitation letter helped; after about an hour her phone was allowed, then she was taken to a detention room for another half hour.
- Nov 3, 2026Back in Brussels, she told reporters China presented the delegation with options to reduce the EU's trade deficit while seeking access to European technologies.