In view of the imminent implementation of the free independent travelers (FIT) program for Chinese citizens, the National Security Bureau will be holding lectures on counter-intelligence measures for hundreds of frontline field staff in a bid to foil attempts by Chinese spies entering the country under the guise of tourists, sources said.
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) officials confirmed on Wednesday that the government would allow up to 500 independent Chinese tourists per day to visit Taiwan starting no later than July 1.
According to the sources, hundreds of personnel will take part in the lectures, including bureau staff and personnel from the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau (MJIB), the National Police Administration (NPA) and the National Immigration Agency (NIA).
The bureau confirmed yesterday that it would be holding the counter-intelligence lectures to brief staff on the government’s cross-strait policy and national security measures.
It said that while the national security agencies should support normal cross-strait exchanges, they should not waver on the issue of stopping or prosecuting illegal activities.
According to the sources, the lectures are listed as one of the national security measures that National Security Bureau Director Tsai Der-sheng (蔡得勝) had promised lawmakers, who were concerned about the impact on national security of allowing independent Chinese travelers to visit Taiwan.
A bureau official who asked not to be named said the lectures would focus on how to gather information on suspected illegal activities of Chinese independent travelers during their stay in Taiwan, and how to arraign such suspects.
The official said that on the urging of the bureau, the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee approved a proposed amendment to the National Intelligence Services Act (國家情報工作法) on Thursday last week, which the legislature passed on Friday.
The haste to amend the National Intelligence Services Act was so to ensure that frontline intelligence personnel are cognizant of the law when investigating suspected illegal or abnormal activities by Chinese travelers or preparing a case against these suspects, the official said.
According to the amended law, the bureau may offer aid to the NPA, the NIA and the MJIB in investigating or arraigning foreigners or travelers from China taking actions or jobs that do not fit the purpose stated on their applications to stay or live in Taiwan.
Refusal to cooperate with such investigations may be subject to legal action, the official said.
Despite these precautionary measures, some officials are still worried.
A bureau official said that since President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration began allowing more Chinese tourists into Taiwan, the influx of visitors has been taxing the strength of the frontline staff at the NPA, the NIA and the MJIB.
Supposing that Chinese tour groups were coming in at the rate of 3,000 persons per day and staying for a maximum of 10 to 15 days, that would mean 30,000 to 45,000 Chinese tourists staying in Taiwan per day, the official said.
Add in the number of independent travelers — capped at 500 persons per day staying for a maximum of 15 days for a total of 7,500 tourists per day — there would be a total of 40,000 to 50,000 Chinese tourists per day moving about in Taiwan, the official added.
“How can our frontline staff cope with such a volume and still find time to investigate illegal or abnormal activities?” the official asked..
Even if the security agencies were to start recruiting new staff, they would not be able to perform up to par in such a short period, the official said.
TRANSLATED BY JAKE CHUNG, STAFF WRITER
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