A retired Taiwanese rear admiral and a former lawmaker have been taken into custody for allegedly violating Taiwan's national security law.
As part of an investigation for espionage, Hsia Fu-hsiang, former deputy head of the department of political warfare within the Taiwanese Navy, and the former parliamentarian Lo Chih-ming are at risk of absconding, ruled on Thursday a Kaohsiung District Court.
The two men were imprisoned in the south of the island.
The court overturned a decision authorizing their release on bail, also citing the risk of collusion with witnesses.
“Most likely related to promoting unification”
Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by communist China, which considers the island part of its territory and has vowed to retake it one day, if necessary by force.
The two sides have spied on each other since 1949, when Chinese nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek fled to Taiwan to install a government rival to that of the mainland, after losing the civil war against the Communists of Mao Zedong.
Read alsoWhen the setbacks of the Russian army in Ukraine make the Chinese think about Taiwan
"
The defendants organized the travel of witnesses to mainland China and (the trips) were most likely related to promoting unification
" with China, the court said in a statement, without giving further details of the investigation. .
Develop a spy network
According to Taiwan's Central News Agency, Lo recruited Hsia and the pair used their connections to arrange for retired military officers to travel to China in an effort to develop a spy ring in Taiwan.
Their case surfaced shortly after prosecutors launched an investigation into a retired Air Force colonel suspected of recruiting at least six active-duty officers into the United States over eight years. air force and navy, for Beijing.
Previous cases
Several cases involving former senior Taiwanese military officials accused of developing spy networks for China have emerged in recent years.
A retired Air Force major general was given a four-year suspended prison sentence in early January for accepting meals and trips offered by a Hong Kong businessman suspected of acting for the Beijing account.
The sentence was less severe than expected, as the court noted that the defendant had shown remorse and had no criminal record.
SEE ALSO
- China protests the visit of German parliamentarians to Taiwan