High-tech methods should be used in investigations into Chinese spying to help solidify cases, a criminal law expert said on Friday.
National Taiwan University professor of law Lin Yu-hsiung (林鈺雄) told a seminar at the Mainland Affairs Council in Taipei that punishments for people convicted in espionage cases are often perceived as being too lenient.
Advances in technology have expanded the range of threats Beijing poses to Taiwan’s democracy and social order, including its spy groups in Taiwan, attempts to acquire state secrets and critical technologies, cyberattacks, misinformation and attempts to sabotage essential infrastructure, Lin said.
Photo: Reuters
However, people charged with spying for China usually only face indictment for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) — ie, a foreign agent “attempting to establish local organizations” — rather than facing more severe penalties stipulated in the Criminal Code for being an actor of foreign aggression, he said.
The court verdicts are often considered light because of this, he said.
The government should increase the penalties for spying and enhance investigations with high-tech methods when cases affect national security, especially when there are difficulties collecting evidence and dealing with statutes of limitation, he said.
Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) said that the Chinese Communist Party has long taken advantage of Taiwan’s democratic and open society to insert spies to spread its “united front” rhetoric, infiltrate the government and sow dissent.
The government is aware of the tactics and has taken measures to counter Beijing’s insidious infiltration, Chiu said.
“We will continue to make amendments as necessary to safeguard our national security,” he said.
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