Taiwan: Seven retired military officers charged with espionage for selling secrets to China

Seven retired Taiwanese military personnel have been charged with espionage for allegedly selling state secrets to China, including photographs of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and several military bases, as reported by the Taipei Times.

The case, initially linked to a 2022 investigation in Miaoli County, has expanded following the discovery of a political infiltration operation tied to a minor political group, the Rehabilitation Alliance.

According to the Taipei Times, the Taichung branch of the High Prosecutors’ Office revealed that the investigation began with allegations that Huang Kuei-kun, a county councillor candidate, had accepted Chinese funds in violation of Taiwan’s Anti-Infiltration Act.

As the probe progressed, authorities traced the activities to a network led by Chu Hung-i, a 62-year-old retired military officer, who allegedly received funds from China to recruit other former military personnel to establish pro-China organisations within Taiwan.

Chu, who has had business dealings in China since 2019, was found to have cultivated the Rehabilitation Alliance, founded in 2023, to advance Chinese interests in Taiwan.

Despite running three candidates for Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan elections, none of the Rehabilitation Alliance’s candidates succeeded, as reported by the Taipei Times.

Prosecutors said that Chu received substantial financial support for these campaigns, including NTUSD 2 million (roughly USD 60,000) via WeChat and NT USD 670,000 through clandestine channels.

In addition to political activities, the group is accused of gathering sensitive military intelligence. They allegedly took photos of AIT and four military installations, creating detailed coordinate maps that were shared with Chinese contacts through WeChat.

When questioned, the suspects claimed that the funds were intended for authenticating Chinese antiques on behalf of their Chinese associates and that they were asked for the photos of military sites, although they professed ignorance about the reason.

According to Taipei Times, Chu and six others have been detained since August 2023 and face serious charges under Taiwan’s National Security Act and Anti-Infiltration Act. If convicted, they could face up to seven years in prison and heavy fines ranging from NT USD 50 million to NT USD 100 million. The case will now proceed to trial at the High Court’s Taichung branch.