The Taiwan prosecutors have charged a Taiwanese couple affiliated with a pro-China political party, promoting the Chinese political agenda and affecting Taiwan elections. The Voice of America reported that the couple, Chang Meng-Chung and his wife, Hung Wen-ting have been indicted for promoting the agenda after receiving billions of dollars from the Chinese authorities.
According to Taiwan’s Chiayi District Prosecutors’ Office, the couple had violated Taiwan’s Anti-Infiltration Act and election laws. They created radio and digital media propaganda for China after receiving 2.32 million dollars from Chinese officials for more than a decade.
The prosecutors claim that China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) in Beijing and its Fujian Province branch have paid the couples who in turn promoted Chinese defence power and also urged Taiwan to surrender before the Chinese invasion. They further stated that the couples went to China and provided reports and plans for the promotions.
In response to persecution, Chang said,” Taiwan says it’s democratic, but it’s not democratic at all. The China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) has always been championing cross-strait reunification, so what I said is the same as what the CUPP has always advocated.”
The VOA reported that the couple could face 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to NT$10 million.
Chao Fang-yi, a non-resident fellow at the Research Institute of Democracy, Security, and Emerging Technology in Taiwan, told VOA Mandarin that the use of the Anti-Infiltration Act is significant and said,” Actually, if China wants to give them money, it may be in a very obscure way, and it may be difficult to trace it,” said Chao. “So, this time, there is clear evidence so it can be prosecuted. I think it’s also a pretty powerful thing.”
Recently in August, the Taiwan prosecutors charged three Taiwanese in connection with CUPP, developing a spy network to trespass the Taiwan army.
(with inputs from ANI)
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