The owners of Kaohsiung news outlet China VTV Co (中華微視公司) are being investigated for having alleged financial connections with China, and for allegedly conducting a disinformation campaign to create social division and mistrust in Taiwan’s government.
Tsai Yue-ting (蔡岳廷) and his ex-wife, Chang Chiao-lin (張巧琳), were questioned by judicial investigators after evidence reportedly showed that the couple had received 3 million yuan (US$421,354) from its parent company’s offices in Beijing and Hong Kong.
The outlet provides news programming on social media sites including YouTube and Facebook.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau
Authorities determined that China VTV was attempting to induce public alarm in a posting titled “Japan readying evacuation of its citizens from Taiwan due to an emergency in the Taiwan Strait.”
Tsai was found to have signed a partnership agreement with China VTV Holding Co chairman Song Tijin (宋體金), who has been linked to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau said on Friday.
“The agreement called for the company’s entities in China and Hong Kong to provide 3 million yuan for Song’s representative companies to obtain 67 percent shares in Taiwan-registered China VTV Co, the bureau said.
Computers and communication records were seized, and nine people were summoned for questioning, including Tsai and Chang, who reside in New Taipei City.
Tsai was released on NT$90,000 bail and Chang on NT$50,000 bail.
Bureau officials said the two face charges of illegal company registration, illegal funding by a Chinese entity and tax evasion under the Company Act (公司法) and the Business Entity Accounting Act (商業會計法), and of contravening legal statutes governing relations between Taiwan and China.
After looking through computer and phone records, investigators alleged Tsai and Chang were taking instruction from executives in China to establish and operate programming for social media produced by outlets in Beijing and Hong Kong in what the bureau called “propaganda efforts."
ANTI-SHIP CONFIGURATION: The Tuo Chiang-class vessels are to be built for NT$9.7 billion by Lung Teh, a shipyard that previously built four similar corvettes for the navy The Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday awarded Lung Teh Shipbuilding (龍德造船) a NT$9.7 billion Co (US$317.57 million) contract to build five Tuo Chiang-class corvettes with anti-ship capabilities, a defense official familiar with the matter said yesterday. The corvettes would carry vertical launchers for four Hsiung Feng II (HF-2) missiles, as well as eight Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) anti-ship missiles, in contrast to ships configured for anti-air warfare, which carry eight HF-2 and four HF-3 missiles, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The anti-ship corvettes would be armed for improved standoff range against surface combatants and carry the latest
PARTIAL SUPPORT: Morris Chang said he agrees with the US’ goal to slow advances of China’s chip sector, but US policies that might boost chip prices perplex him Washington’s efforts to on-shore semiconductor production might lead to surges in chip prices and supply bottlenecks, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀) said yesterday. The 91-year-old industry veteran said he supports parts of Washington’s effort to slow China’s progress on advanced chip manufacturing. China is still six years behind Taiwan in making advanced chips, despite years-long efforts to catch up, Chang told a Commonwealth Magazine forum that he coheadlined with Tufts University assistant professor Chris Miller, an expert on the US-China rivalry’s effects on chip manufacturing. However, Chang said that other parts of the effort, particularly Washington’s on-shoring
‘WRONG DECISION’: Honduras should carefully consider the situation, and not fall into China’s trap and jeopardize the bilateral friendship, the foreign ministry said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that it had expressed “grave concern” to the government of Honduras after Honduran President Xiomara Castro on Tuesday wrote on Twitter that it would pursue official diplomatic relations with China. In addition to issuing a statement, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Yui (俞大㵢) summoned Honduran Ambassador to Taiwan Harold Burgos to the ministry in Taipei early yesterday to voice the government’s concerns. The meeting lasted about 20 minutes and Burgos did not make any public comments upon arriving at the ministry. Burgos said shortly after noon that he had not yet heard from his country’s
‘COINCIDENCE’: The former president should keep in mind local and global response to his actions and abide by the law to safeguard national interests, the MAC said The Presidential Office yesterday confirmed that it has received an application from former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to visit China next week and would be discussing his security detail. “As the travel restrictions on former president Ma have expired, we respect his plan to pay respect to his ancestors in China,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said. “We will review his travel plan and consult concerned agencies to assist him in arranging his security detail.” “We also hope that Ma, as a former commander in chief of Taiwan, acts in a manner that aligns with national interests and does not hurt