A Hong Kong newspaper recently reported, without naming sources, that China's national security agencies had smashed the largest Taiwanese spy ring in recent years. Twenty-one Taiwanese and 15 Chinese were arrested, the report said. The next day, the newspaper disclosed information about five Taiwanese implicated in the case, pointing out that they had been arrested for gathering intelligence on China's missiles and navy.
At the same time, some Taiwanese politicians and media reports quoted a former intelligence official as saying that the spy case was a result of President Chen Shui-bian's (
Although Taiwan's Military Intelligence Bureau has clarified that the Hong Kong reports were a fabrication, some pro-China Taiwanese politicians and the former intelligence official -- who had to retire after Chen, then a legislator, questioned his promotion on the legislative floor -- have danced to the Hong Kong media's tune and echoed their criticism. They appear to have formed an anti-Chen political front with China's national security agencies and the Hong Kong press.
In the 1996 presidential election, the Chinese government directly criticized presidential candidate Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), but triggered a backlash and instead helped him win the election. In view of the mistake, Beijing this time adopted an indirect strategy, with the Hong Kong media pushing the pro-unification message and some Taiwanese politicians and pro-unification media following, thereby dealing a concerted blow to Chen. Looking at their interaction with the evil regime, we have to wonder whether they have any awareness of national security.
To be fair, spy wars between Taiwan and China have existed for 50 years. The two sides' retaliatory spy arrests have followed a certain pattern and even developed a tacit understanding. Such actions might decrease when the political situation eases. But when tensions escalate, each side will announce a crackdown on spies.
During peacetime, each country's intelligence and counterintelligence work continues as usual. Intelligence-gathering aimed at imaginary enemies, in particular, will only be strengthened.
Late last month, Beijing also reportedly uncovered the spy case of Cai Xiaohong (
Beijing is attempting to use this spy case as a warning and to deter infiltration by European and American spies. The disclosure of the Taiwanese spy ring incident by the Hong Kong media may be part of China's deterrence efforts against Western countries. Apart from stemming similar intelligence activities, Beijing also hopes to give propaganda ammunition to Taiwan's pro-China political parties and media to attack Taiwan's government and suppress its intelligence agencies.
Uniting with China to oppose Chen, a handful of Taiwanese politicians failed to check the Hong Kong reports, which did not quote any sources, and, furthermore, accused the president of leaking state secrets. The reports even criticized the intelligence agencies, which have to maintain neutrality at election time.
However, they are unaware that such actions cripple intelligence personnel's morale and affect their intelligence-gathering efforts. These politicians have unknowingly become the hatchet men and accomplices in China's united-front and counterintelligence tasks.
Accusing the president of leaking state secrets is an even bigger joke.
State secrets are classified or declassified by the officials in charge. This means that the degree of confidentiality of a document or information is ranked by government officials at a certain level. Usually ministers have the right to classify or declassify information ranked as "top secret." Since the president is the head of state, he or she has the right to classify or declassify any important documents or information, be it "secret" or "top secret."
Therefore, it is impossible for presidents to "leak" state secrets. Those who denounce Chen for disclosing the enemy's situation and leaking state secrets either have their eyes on their political interests or are confused about national identity, mistakenly treating a hostile country as their own motherland.
Intelligence agencies should quickly investigate the truth about the spy case. If the intelligence-gathering personnel and informants dispatched or absorbed by the Military Intelligence Bureau were truly among those arrested, then they should quickly adopt various crisis management measures. They do not need to avoid the sensitive election timing. They should give priority to national security and conduct damage-control measures. Through various channels they should find ways to save the intelligence heroes, who are facing a dangerous situation, and take proper care of their family members.
If Taiwanese businesspeople have been set up or wrongfully accused as spies, lawyers should be recruited to help clarify the matter through private channels and prevent the rights and interests of Taiwanese businesses from being damaged under China's unjust judiciary. If the Hong Kong media reports were a fabrication, then the intelligence agencies should invite legislators from all political parties to secret meetings and clarify the matter on a limited scale. They should not allow politicians and retired intelligence personnel motivated by politics and personal grudges to criticize people wantonly.
The Chinese authorities should understand that if they insist on peaceful unification, they should renounce the use of force against Taiwan and remove the missiles deployed on the opposite shore of the Taiwan Strait. If they have not given up hope for peaceful unification, they should not threaten the Taiwanese people with missiles at every turn or try to eliminate Taiwan's international space. The duplicitous strategy carried out by China in the deluded belief that it will make the Taiwanese people give in will only increase Taiwanese people's worries.
If Beijing continues to treat Taiwan with a thuggish attitude, the people of Taiwan should show China and the world their resolve through an anti-missile, anti-war, pro-democracy, pro-peace referendum on March 20. This will focus international attention on the Taiwan issue and bring guarantees for Taiwan's security.
Shu Chin-chiang is a former senior adviser to the National Security Council.
Translated by Francis Huang and Jackie Lin
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