Taiwan Uncovers Huge CCP Spy Case, Indicts 23 People Including 8 Active-Duty Soldiers
The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office announced today (September 18) the bust of a Communist spy network in Taiwan involved in developing an organization to steal military secrets. The investigation concluded with the indictment of 23 individuals, among whom 8 are active-duty military personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, with the highest rank being Captain. All the military personnel involved in leaking secrets were in debt.
The basic method was that the main suspects, the Xu brothers, repeatedly traveled to Macau and Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, China, where they were developed into spies. They then enticed 13 individuals, including a man surnamed Sun, by offering rewards ranging from 2,000 NT dollars (approximately 66 USD) to 30,000 NT dollars (approximately 994 USD) for each active-duty soldier they could recruit.
They used online lending companies, pawn shops, etc., to find soldiers in need of money due to debts.
The Xu brothers operated the spy ring, making contact with 21 active-duty soldiers, of which 8 agreed to spy and provide military information. They photographed the information and sent it via mobile communication apps to the CCP, receiving bribes equivalent to their military pay monthly or per task.
According to prosecutors, over the past two years, the Xu brothers earned 3,975,731 NT dollars (about 131,757 USD) from their criminal activities, Sun earned 266,400 NT dollars (about 8,828 USD), and other non-military defendants earned between 30,000 NT dollars to 50,000 NT dollars (about 1,657 USD).
Active-duty soldiers received between 10,000 NT dollars (about 331 USD) to 193,736 NT dollars (about 6,420 USD). The total amount of bribes was approximately 5 million NT dollars (about 165,700 USD).
The military branches involved include the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Ocean Affairs Council Coast Guard Administration, with military camps located across northern, central, southern, and eastern Taiwan, encompassing ranks from Captain, and non-commissioned officers, to soldiers.
Photo: Three Taiwanese military personnel who were once contacted by the Chinese Communist Party, from left to right are retired Air Force Major General Chien Yao-tung (錢耀棟), retired Lieutenant Colonel Wei Hsien-yi (魏先儀), and former Vice Minister of Defense Chang Che-ping (張哲平). In 2021, they were accused of involvement in a Chinese espionage ring.
