Taipei: Prosecutors said Tuesday they would seek the maximum punishment for a Chinese man and six serving and retired Taiwanese military personnel indicted for leaking sensitive information to China.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office stated that the Chinese man, Ding Xiaohu, also known as Ting Siu Fu in Cantonese, who holds a Hong Kong passport, along with his six alleged accomplices, were charged with violations of the National Security Act, the Classified National Security Information Protection Act, and the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces. The Taiwanese defendants were identified as Wang Wen-hao, Tan Chun-ming, Lu Fang-chi, Chiu Han-lin, Yang Chien-hui, and Yang Po-chih.
Ding allegedly formed a network by recruiting retired officers, including Wang, Tan, and two others surnamed Chang and Ho, as core members to gather classified information. These core members reportedly utilized their military connections to further enlist active-duty and retired personnel, including Lu, Chiu, Yang Chien-hui, and Yang Po-chih. Investigators revealed that Ding sought to convince active-duty personnel to lead their subordinates in offering no resistance in the event of a future cross-strait conflict.
According to the Ministry of National Defense (MND), the investigation began when its Political Warfare Bureau noticed suspicious actions by a major surnamed Yang during an internal review. The case was reported through the national security joint-defense mechanism, leading to a coordinated investigation by the National Security Bureau, the Military Police Command, and the Investigation Bureau. Evidence collection efforts uncovered the broader network, which was then referred to prosecutors.
Authorities disclosed that Ding and Chang, now deceased, directed an associate, Chen Chun-an, to transfer over NT$11.12 million (US$356,444) into Taiwan via underground banking channels to finance intelligence operations and compensate recruited personnel. Consequently, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office indicted Ding and the six military personnel on charges including the development of an organization for a hostile foreign force and the collection and leaking of national and military secrets.
Furthermore, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office indicted Ding, Wang, and Chen for money laundering and Banking Act violations. Charges against Chang and Ho were dismissed due to their deaths.
The MND expressed strong condemnation of the treasonous acts by a small number of service members, emphasizing that China's infiltration efforts persist. The ministry has enhanced security vetting procedures for personnel with access to classified information, introduced a clearance certification system, and expanded counterintelligence training to bolster security awareness. It affirmed continued collaboration with related agencies through the joint-defense mechanism to protect national security.Source: Focus Taiwan