Taiwan Jails Four Former Ruling Party Members for China Espionage

A Taiwan court has sentenced four former members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), including a one-time staffer in President Lai Ching-te’s office, to prison terms ranging from four to 10 years for spying on behalf of China.

The Taipei District Court delivered the verdict on Thursday, convicting them under the Classified National Security Information Protection Act for leaking sensitive diplomatic and security information to Beijing.

Prosecutors said the group engaged in espionage “over a very long period,” passing along confidential details such as the itineraries of top officials, including Taiwan’s foreign minister. The court noted that their actions “endangered the country’s diplomatic security” and further strained Taiwan’s already difficult international standing.

The four were expelled from the DPP in May before being charged in June. The party, which strongly supports Taiwan’s sovereignty, said the expulsions underscored its “zero tolerance” stance toward espionage.

Beijing, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, has repeatedly been accused by Taipei of deploying infiltration and espionage tactics to undermine the island’s defences. China has not commented on the ruling but continues to insist on its right to “reunify” with Taiwan, by force if necessary.