Chinese agents often target Taiwanese officials who are motivated by financial gain rather than ideology, while people who are found guilty of spying face lenient punishments in Taiwan, a researcher said on Tuesday.
While the law says that foreign agents can be sentenced to death, people who are convicted of spying for Beijing often serve less than nine months in prison because Taiwan does not formally recognize China as a foreign nation, Institute for National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said.
Many officials and military personnel sell information to China believing it to be of little value, unaware that Chinese agents can later use the act of betrayal to coerce them into deeper cooperation, Su said.
The government should conduct information campaigns warning service members of the risks and make clear that helping to catch spies would be far more lucrative than aiding China — with rewards ranging from NT$5 million to NT$10 million (US$161,514 to US$321,027), he said. Su made the remarks after a reserve captain surnamed You (尤) was charged in Kaohsiung with selling military secrets to China for NT$150,000.
His warning is timely. Espionage is a growing problem within the government and military. Last year, 64 people were prosecuted on espionage charges, while more than 5,000 suspected agents are believed to be operating in the nation, an Asia Times op-ed published on Aug. 18 said.
In You’s case, prosecutors said he was approached online by a Chinese agent after expressing interest in securing a loan. Su said that Chinese operatives often embed themselves in illegal moneylending networks to identify and recruit financially vulnerable people.
Su’s recommendation that Taiwanese authorities invest more resources in investigating unregistered lending services is a good starting point. Yet prevention would be even more effective. The military could offer interest-free loans to service members in need and impose strict penalties on those who resort to illegal lenders. It could also provide well-paid overtime work opportunities for troops facing financial hardship, while improving morale and retention through expanded on-base recreation options.
To truly curb espionage, Taiwan needs a multifaceted approach, one that rewards the reporting of suspicious activity and meets the needs of soldiers so China has little to exploit, as well as punishing treason with the seriousness it deserves.
That last goal requires legal reform. Taiwan’s lawbooks refer to China as the “mainland area,” meaning espionage on Beijing’s behalf is not treated as spying for a foreign power. The law could be amended to impose the same penalties for espionage conducted for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as for any other foreign government, without altering Taiwan’s stance on sovereignty.
However, patriotism cannot be sustained through legal reform alone. During the era of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), troops were driven by a clear, if unrealistic, goal — to “retake the mainland.” Today, amid differing visions of what Taiwan’s sovereignty means, a new source of motivation is needed. Soldiers must see tangible reasons — financial, moral and institutional — to stand firm in defense of their country.
Service members facing low morale and financial stress are less likely to risk their lives for a government that appears lenient toward traitors. Seeing convicted spies receive light sentences undermines not only morale, but also public trust in the justice system.
Taiwan must address both sides of the equation: improving conditions for those who serve honorably while imposing harsh penalties on those who betray their nation. Anything less would erode Taiwan’s will and capacity to resist China in the event of conflict.
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