Amendments to the National Security Act (國家安全法) that stiffen penalties for companies that supply products to the military using Chinese parts went into effect on Friday.
The amendments to articles 11 and 12 of the act aim to prevent defense contractors from providing the military with China-made goods using explicit bans and heavy fines, the Ministry of Justice said.
Under the updated Article 11, those who provide China-made goods or services to the military face one to seven years in prison and up to NT$30 million (US$953,137) in fines.
Photo: Lo Tien-pin, Taipei Times
Under changes to Article 12, people who falsify the provision of military arms, munitions or other materiel face three to 10 years in prison and fines of NT$5 million to NT$50 million.
Amendments to Article 18 also set the High Court as the court of first instance for charges related to fostering clandestine organizations, to leverage the national security experience and expertise of the court and the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office, the Ministry of Justice said.
The amendments specify that the High Court convene a specialized court to oversee such cases.
The ministry said the amendments were needed to address the sensitive and confidential manner of national security cases.
It said it has already discussed with the Taiwan High Prosecutor’s Office about training personnel and obtaining equipment needed to oversee cases focused on national security matters.
When necessary, the first and second appellate courts and the prosecutors under those courts would work in teams to broaden the judicial system’s ability to handle national security cases, it said.
To prevent foreign powers from funding political parties or candidates, as part of efforts to undermine the legitimacy of elections and erode the nation’s democratic systems, the ministry said it is prioritizing efforts to combat foreign election influence attempts.
New Taipei City’s Ciaotou District (橋頭) Prosecutors’ Office earlier this week uncovered alleged efforts by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office to influence voters in January’s election to support specific candidates by offering paid trips to China.
The justice ministry urged the public to beware of such attempts and to avoid them to prevent inadvertently contravening the law.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old