TAIPEI, Taiwan: Ten former and serving Taiwanese military officers are facing indictment for alleged espionage activities on behalf of Beijing, as tensions between Taiwan and China continue to escalate.
Among the accused are two officers who purportedly created a “psychological warfare” video, expressing their willingness to “surrender” to the Chinese military. The charges include recruiting active-duty servicemen to gather military information and passing on classified secrets to China in exchange for financial incentives.
The Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office revealed that three defendants were involved in recruiting servicemen to establish a network for China, while four enlisted officers were charged with providing undisclosed military secrets to Beijing.
The indictment also highlighted the seriousness of active-duty soldiers pledging allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party, describing it as an “extremely vicious act.”
In a separate incident, one defendant is accused of stealing military secrets from a secure facility at his workplace. The prosecutors emphasized that all the accused individuals were, or currently are, servicemen who betrayed their country for personal interests, posing a significant threat to national security.
This recent indictment adds to a series of espionage cases on the island, underscoring the ongoing intelligence and security challenges faced by Taiwan. Last month, a retired air force colonel was sentenced to 20 years in prison for spying for Beijing, and in August, a father-son duo were indicted for recruiting soldiers to gather information on Taiwan’s military exercises for China.
The authorities are calling for strict penalties to serve as a deterrent against compromising national security.
