Italian authorities have apprehended Xu Zewei, a Chinese national accused by the United States of being involved in a state-sponsored hacking operation that targeted COVID-19 vaccine research. The arrest took place at Milan’s Malpensa airport on July 3, following an international warrant issued by the US. According to Italian officials, Zewei is alleged to have stolen sensitive information from US-based universities and researchers on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020. The US indictment charges 33-year-old Zewei with multiple offenses, including wire fraud, identity theft, and hacking. He is accused of collaborating with another individual, Zhang Yu, who remains in China. The indictment suggests that their activities were part of a broader effort to compromise US research into COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Zewei appeared in a Milan court as the US Justice Department initiated extradition proceedings to bring him to Texas for trial. Italy’s Justice Ministry confirmed receiving a formal extradition request from the US. Zewei is currently detained in Italy on suspicion of engaging in industrial espionage-related IT crimes at the behest of US authorities. The US links him to Hafnium, a hacking group implicated in a significant breach of Microsoft email software in 2021. The arrest poses diplomatic challenges for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, which has balanced relations with both the US and China. Meloni has maintained strong ties with US President Donald Trump while fostering diplomatic relations with China, despite withdrawing from China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini is scheduled to visit Beijing soon, highlighting the delicate balance Italy seeks to maintain. In response to the arrest, the Chinese Embassy in Washington stated it was unaware of Zewei’s case but dismissed similar allegations as unfounded rumors. The embassy emphasized China’s advanced vaccine research capabilities and denied any need for espionage. During the pandemic’s peak in 2020, global intelligence agencies raced to gather information on COVID-19. The FBI and US cybersecurity agencies repeatedly accused China of attempting to steal critical research from American institutions. In mid-2020, two other Chinese nationals were indicted by the US Department of Justice for allegedly trying to access US research as part of a long-term strategy to acquire American trade secrets. Chinese state media dismissed these allegations as baseless, criticizing US politicians for their stance.