Island infiltrators: Taiwan spy scandals expose frailty of political and military defences
As government aides are investigated, there is alarm over Beijing’s intensifying efforts to undermine Taiwanese authorities from within
At least five people closely associated with senior DPP politicians are under investigation or have been detained for allegedly leaking classified information to mainland Chinese intelligence. Among them are aides to Taiwanese leader Lai and National Security Council secretary general Joseph Wu.
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“The frequent surfacing of Chinese spy cases in Taiwan suggests that China’s espionage network here is watertight – they have developed a highly effective system to lure certain Taiwanese people to do the job,” said Huang Huei-hua, director of the Taiwan Global Talk think tank.
“Even top officials are now surrounded by suspected spies. It’s a sign that the DPP government has loosened its counter-intelligence screws.”
Beijing views Taiwan as part of China to be reunited, by force if necessary. Since Lai, of the DPP, took office as the island’s leader in May, tensions across the Taiwan Strait have worsened.
