Taipei prosecutors yesterday indicted retired air force lieutenant colonel Liu Chi-ju (劉其儒) on suspicion of collaborating with a major espionage network on behalf of China.
Prosecutors said they had earlier indicted Chinese national Zhen Xiaojiang (鎮小江), who retired from China’s People’s Liberation Army as a captain, on charges of espionage.
Zhen is alleged to have recruited several air force officers into his spy ring.
Photo: CNA
Prosecutors said their investigation into Zhen’s activities discovered that Liu, who retired from the air force in 2005, played an instrumental role in the recruiting of active and retired air force officers to spy for China, including a former officer of the Air Force Academy Flight Training Command surnamed Ke Chi-hsien (葛季賢), along with Lou Wen-ching (樓文卿), who is still on active duty at the academy.
Liu has been charged with violating the National Security Act (國家安全法). Ke and Lou have also been indicted, although investigators are still trying to determine if they leaked any classified information.
Prosecutors said that Zhen enticed a number of air force officers to join his spy ring by offering money and all-expenses-paid vacations, including Lieutenant Colonel Chou Tzu-li (周自立) and Major General Hsu Nai-chuan (許乃權), who later recruited several colleagues and former academy classmates to spy for China.
A number of pieces of classified information were leaked to Chinese intelligence agents, prosecutors said.
Zhen, Chou and Hsu have been held incommunicado and denied bail since their arrest, amid concerns they might try to flee the country.
Liu’s exact whereabouts are not known. He has been residing in China, where he ran a business, since he left the service.
Prosecutors said that when they asked Ke why he had betrayed his country after having such a distinguished career, he remained silent.
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS