China's intelligence agents may be seducing, literally, domestic high-tech talent, DPP lawmakers said yesterday.
Single computer engineers in Hsinchu are potential sources of information leaks and are wanted by China's intelligence system, DPP Legislator Trong Chai (
Chai gave the warning one day after revealing how China was trying to gain access to the heart of the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology.
Chai and his fellow DPP lawmakers said military officials and high-tech talent based in Hsinchu, Taoyuan and Miaoli had been targeted by China's intelligence system as sources of classified information on electronic warfare and business.
"The government should be aware of possible espionage in the form of China deploying secret agents disguised as hostesses near the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park, top military science and technology hubs and also major stations for the Mirage fighter plane squadron," Chai said.
He added that a significant number of Chinese illegal immigrants arrived by either nominal marriage with Taiwanese nationals or as stowaways who later work in the sex industry.
National security is at risk as they may be working for China's intelligence unit. They can lure, through their feminine charms, domestic workers who may be careless when it comes to being tight-lipped about confidential information, Chai said.
Chai said China possesses information on all of Taiwan's young pilots and has a file with information on the country's Mirage 2000-5 pilots.
Another DPP legislator, Lee Chen-nan (李鎮楠), shares Chai's view and linked a growing number of bars and wine shops in technology and military centers with the suspected increase in spying activities.
Many of the new bars were located near military camps to attract not only young high-tech talent in Hsinchu but also to seduce soldiers and high-ranking military officials.
The lawmakers suggested that reinforcing internal control and monitoring work of personnel in the military was needed to solve the security flaw.
"The government must do something to prevent single computer engineers and soldiers from being lured by China through sexual seduction," said independent Legislator Peter Lin (
Lin said some Chinese residents successfully acquired Taiwanese citizenship by using false documents showing that they were representatives or former residents of Kinmen or Matsu.
A number of these people are serving their military service right now and some even work as grocers inside military camps, Lin said. He said it is necessary to make sure none of these people are involved in espionage activities for China.
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