8 Military and Ex-Military Individuals Sentenced in Taiwan for Involvement in CCP Spy Network

August 23, 2024 TruthUSA

The government’s supervisory arm stated that the Armed Forces are currently dealing with ‘unprecedented challenges’ in combating CCP espionage.

On Thursday, eight military and former military personnel in Taiwan were sentenced to jail for providing classified intelligence or propaganda material to the Chinese regime.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Investigation Bureau reported that the convicted individuals received prison terms ranging from 18 months to 13 years.

This development comes amidst escalating tensions between Taiwan and mainland China, with the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) asserting the self-governed island as a Chinese province, and as CCP spies are increasingly being exposed in Western countries.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense expressed its respect for the High Court’s decision and pledged to enhance security training in light of the “pervasive” CCP espionage.

The eight men imprisoned on Thursday were part of a group of 10 current or former military personnel prosecuted in November 2023 after an investigation.

They were collectively sentenced to 58 years and 6 months for corruption and other offenses under various laws, as confirmed by the MoJ Investigation Bureau in a statement.

The MoJ Investigation Bureau revealed that its branch in Taoyuan City discovered in 2022 that Chen Xin had been recruited by CCP officials, prompting former military personnel Hsiao Hsiang-yun and Hsieh Ping-cheng to assist in locating and managing informants who gathered military intelligence for the CCP.

It is a standard practice in Taiwan and mainland China to redact part of a defendant’s name in official statements, although their full names are stated in court documents.

Hsiao and Hsieh received sentences of 13 years and eight years, respectively.

Chen, one of the defendants not jailed on Thursday, remains at large, potentially in mainland China, as reported by Taiwan’s public news agency, the Central News Agency (CNA). Another defendant, accused of producing propaganda for the CCP, was acquitted.

The full judgement is currently unavailable on the High Court’s official website. The Epoch Times has not independently verified the document.

Hsieh Meng-shu was sentenced to nine years in prison.

The judgement disclosed that Hsieh, a lieutenant colonel, had conspired to defect to the CCP with a CH-47 Chinook helicopter after being influenced by Hsieh Ping-cheng, according to CNA.

Ho Hsin-ju, Kang Yi-pin, Hung X-yang, and Lu X-fang were each sentenced to 7 years and 4 months, 7 years and 2 months, 7 years, and 5.5 years, respectively, for providing intelligence to the CCP.

Lu, in addition to providing intelligence, filmed a propaganda video for the CCP, expressing his willingness to surrender to the People’s Liberation Army, reported the prosecutors.

Wu X-peng was acquitted of the same offense.

On the other hand, Liu X-chi received a 1.5-year sentence for unauthorized access to classified information.

The MoJ Investigation Bureau stated that the CCP utilized cryptocurrency for payment in exchange for intelligence.

Systemic Deficiencies

Also on Thursday, the Committee on Foreign and National Defense Affairs of the Control Yuan, which oversees the government and has impeachment powers, highlighted “systemic deficiencies” in the Taiwanese military’s counterintelligence capabilities.

In a recently published report, two committee members emphasized a significant increase in CCP espionage cases involving the military over the past 12 years, with 113 suspects implicated in 40 cases between 2011 and 2023, including leaks of “top secret” defense documents.

The report noted that between Jan. 1, 2022, and June 15, 2024, the military’s security unit identified 1,706 instances where CCP agents attempted to obtain intelligence online.

According to the findings, the CCP expanded its targets from high-ranking officials to soldiers of all ranks. Apart from intel gathering, targets were enticed with significant sums in exchange for pledging allegiance and agreeing not to participate in wartime activities.

The report also mentioned the CCP’s creation of debt traps specifically for Taiwanese military personnel, utilizing social media and gaming platforms to solicit intelligence as repayment.

Furthermore, the report highlighted the increased challenges posed by the use of cryptocurrencies in hindering investigators from collecting evidence, emphasizing the “unprecedented challenges” faced by the Armed Forces.

The committee members cited a reduction in resources allocated to Taiwan’s military security despite the heightened CCP activities in recent years, with the budget at an alarmingly low level. They called upon the executive branch and national security agencies to address any existing deficiencies.

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