Tourism opening to speed `three links'

"So far this year we have discovered that over 3,000 Chinese intelligence agents have entered Taiwan under the cover of fake identities like scholars. We know who they are and are monitoring their activities throughout their stay on the island"

Han Kun, National Security Bureau deputy director

The opening of Taiwan to tourists from China in June will pave the way for full-scale trade, postal and transportation links across the Strait, an intelligence chief said yesterday.

"Starting from June, PRC nationals will be allowed to visit Taiwan for tourism. This is to be followed by the opening of the `three links,'" National Security Bureau (NSB) Deputy Director Lieutenant General Han Kun said.

"As for the first steps, the so-called `small three links' between Kinmen and Matsu islands and designated ports in China's Fujian Province, most of the preparations will be completed by Dec. 15," Han said. The "small three links" are scheduled to be opened at the beginning of next year.

"We are now waiting for some newly reassigned Investigation Bureau agents to report to their new posts on the two offshore islands and also for some heavy equipment of the Coast Guard Administration to arrive there," he said.

Han made the remarks as part of a speech yesterday at a conference on national security issues at the political warfare college of the military.

Han expressed worries, however, about the potential compromise of national security as a result of the partial direct links and then the full-scale opening between the two sides of the Strait.

"The partial links will surely produce a lot of problems," Han said. "The situation will become more complicated following the initiation of full-scale links and the subsequent flow of Chinese capital into the Taiwan market. We've been thinking of how to tackle all the national security problems which might arise because of the new measures," he said.

Han's speech at the national security conference also focused on the infiltration into Taiwan by intelligence agents from China as well as spies from other foreign countries.

"So far this year we have discovered that over 3,000 Chinese intelligence agents have entered Taiwan under the cover of fake identities like scholars. We know who they are and are monitoring their activities throughout their stay on the island," Han said.

"Over the past few years, our law enforcers have captured some 40,000 illegal Chinese immigrants and have repatriated around 38,000 of them. We estimate that there are still 2,000 illegal Chinese hiding in different parts of the island," he said.

"The priority of China's intelligence operations against Taiwan for the moment is to look for and secure what they think is most advantageous to them out of the political instability in Taiwan following the transition of power. They hoped to achieve their goal within six months of the inauguration of the new government," he said.

Unfortunately, Han said, there are elements within the intelligence community who have been discovered to "have expressed willingness" to Chinese authorities to work for them.

"These discoveries were made [not long ago] as the political environment on the island was in transition during the transfer of power after the presidential election," Han said.

Han also called attention to another potential threat to national security -- infiltration by intelligence agents from foreign countries outside China.

"Foreign embassies or representative offices are the most active sources of this sort of intelligence gathering against Taiwan. They are very efficient and successful in their efforts," he said.

Han identified the lack of security sense by some government officials as one of the main causes for leaks to foreigners.

"Some high-ranking government officials love to answer questions from their foreign friends. They answer every question they are asked and will offer information that was not asked of them," he said.

He singled out 10 countries as the most active in collecting information on Taiwan. They include the US, Japan, England, France, Germany, Singapore, Russia, New Zealand, Australia and South Korea.