Prosecutors allegedly found a specially developed encrypted app on a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) staffer’s phone used to communicate with Chinese intelligence operatives, the Chinese-language Mirror Media reported today.
The staffer, assistant Huang Chu-jing (黃取榮), is one of four people along with Presidential Office consultant Wu Shang-yu (吳尚雨), former DPP worker Chiu Shih-yuan (邱世元) and formal ministerial assistant Ho Jen-chieh (何仁傑) suspected of spying for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during their time working for the government.
All four are currently detained without visitation rights.
Photo: Reuters
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office confirmed that the case is still under investigation and declined to comment on the report.
Huang allegedly used the app to inform the CCP of President William Lai’s (賴清德) hotel during an official visit to Paraguay when he served as vice president and his itinerary during the 2023 presidential election, as well as pass along the phone number and related contacts of Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), the magazine said.
Investigators also found records of conversations with foreign envoys and guests, including banquet locations, personnel present and other sensitive information, it said.
The app has never been released for the public and investigators have not been able to decrypt it, the report said, adding that investigators have only been able to identify what data Huang allegedly passed along by restoring his phone.
There could be more substantial leaks than what has already been found, it added.
Huang, a former assistant to New Taipei City Councilor Lee Yu-tien (李余典), was allegedly recruited by Chinese intelligence while conducting business in China years ago, prosecutors said.
Upon his return to Taiwan, he allegedly developed a spy ring on behalf of the CCP in exchange for money, recruiting his friend and party member Chiu, followed by Wu and then Ho, who was the assistant to Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) when he was minister of foreign affairs, prosecutors said.
Wu allegedly collected information from the Presidential Office and Ho from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before passing it on to Chiu and Huang, who then sent it to China in return for thousands of dollars in rewards, prosecutors said.
In a separate case, Sheng Chu-ying (盛礎纓), assistant to former legislative speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃), was released on bail NT$200,000, restricted from leaving the country and placed under electronic monitoring.
Late last month, the DPP’s Central Evaluation Committee agreed to unanimously expel Huang, Chiu, Wu, Ho and Sheng from the party.
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