A husband and wife affiliated with the China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) were indicted yesterday for allegedly receiving NT$74 million (US$2.32 million) from China to make radio and digital media propaganda to promote the Chinese government’s political agenda and influence the outcome of Taiwan’s elections.
Chang Meng-chung (張孟崇) and his wife, Hung Wen-ting (洪文婷), allegedly received a total of NT$74 million from China between 2021 and last year to promote candidates favored by Beijing, contravening the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) and election laws, the Chiayi District Prosecutors’ Office said.
The couple acted as Beijing’s propaganda mouthpiece by disparaging Hong Kong democracy activists and Falun Gong groups in Taiwan, boasting about China’s military power and urging Taiwan’s troops to surrender in the event of an invasion, the indictment said.
Photo: CNA
A task force led by Chiayi prosecutor Lin Chung-pin (林仲斌), in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the Chiayi City and Pingtung County investigation bureaus, searched 24 locations and seized mobile phones, computers, financial records and other evidence, the office said.
Judicial investigators said the couple received NT$74 million in total from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) in Beijing and the TAO branch office in China’s Fujian Province.
Chang allegedly made current affairs and political talk show videos for digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Douyin (抖音) and other public media Web sites to broadcast pro-Beijing propaganda content, prosecutors said.
Over the past few years, the couple attempted to influence this year’s legislative and presidential elections, a recall vote against a pan-green camp legislator in 2022, the referendums in 2021, such as on the prohibition of ractopamine, and promoted candidates and themes favored by the Chinese government, prosecutors said.
“Hostile foreign forces have for a long time taken advantage of our nation’s freedom, multi-party democracy and open society with a tolerance for different viewpoints,” the indictment said.
“Using ‘united front’ works, they sought to infiltrate the nation and create social strife and division, disseminate disinformation, manipulate public opinion and interfere in Taiwan’s elections, such as attempting to recall elected politicians and influence referendums,” the indictment said.
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