Zhou Manzhi (周滿芝), head of the Taiwan New Immigrants’ Association, which assists Chinese spouses in Taiwan, was last night released without bail after being detained on suspicion of vote-buying and setting up Chinese Communist Party (CCP) networks in Taiwan.
Kaohsiung prosecutors had earlier this week charged her with breaches of the National Security Act (國家安全法) amid allegations that she had been received funding from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO).
They said that evidence showed that Zhou received money and instructions from the TAO to recruit Taiwanese to join the CCP, and to conduct “united front” propaganda to subvert Taiwan’s sovereignty and national security.
Photo: Wu Cheng-feng, Taipei Times
Prosecutors have transferred the case to the Kaohsiung branch of the High Court, which covers national security cases, and applied for pretrial detention.
In December last year, Zhou, along with Hsu Shao-tung (徐少東), the chairman of SunLine International who has been detained on allegations of investment fraud and producing fake public surveys to influence the Jan. 13 elections, and others came under investigation for allegedly leading a 60-person group on a trip to China’s Hunan Province, with all expenses paid for by the TAO and the local Chinese government.
Prosecutors said that aside from material evidence, witnesses have said that during the tour and at meetings with CCP officials, Zhou asked them to vote for certain party candidates when they return to Taiwan, and promoted CCP propaganda, such as “peaceful unification for Taiwan” and “both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same family.”
Zhou and other suspects were later listed as suspects under the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act (總統副總統選舉罷免法).
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
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Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
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