Former deputy minister of national defense Chang Che-ping (張哲平) on Wednesday denied he had improper contact with Chinese officials after a report in the Chinese-language Mirror Media said that he was part of an espionage probe.
Chang, who is the head of the National Defense University, was deputy minister of national defense from July 2019 to last month, and was previously commander of the air force.
Chang had dined with and received gifts from a Hong Kong-based businessperson surnamed Hsieh (謝), the Mirror Media report said on Wednesday.
The multiyear investigation by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office and the National Security Bureau is in the final stages, it said.
Investigators uncovered multiple cases of contact between Chinese officials and high-ranking Taiwanese military officers, including generals and colonels from all branches of service, it said, adding that the probe had not yet determined if Beijing had successfully turned any of the officers or obtained secret information from them.
Citing sources involved in security matters, the report said that Hsieh had been active in Taiwan since 2012, and that the plot to turn military personnel had been discovered during a separate national security investigation, which also revealed connections to Hsieh.
Hsieh was tasked by the Chinese Central Military Commission to develop a spy network in Taiwan, and had attempted to make contact with retired officers at social events, it said.
Hsieh had reportedly met with Chang on several occasions, including at a restaurant in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店), it said.
The potentially improper contacts include meals and meetings, and Chang’s wife had traveled to Hong Kong with Hsieh, it said.
Chang said the report is based on “sheer speculation” and that his wife’s travels in China were paid out of pocket.
He had followed military ethics guidelines at all social events and in interactions with classmates, retired colleagues and friends, he said, adding that he “absolutely committed no illegalities in speech or action.”
A Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office spokesperson confirmed the existence of such an investigation, but said that Chang was not listed as a defendant in the case.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Taiwan will now have four additional national holidays after the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment today, which also made Labor Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their majority in the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment to the Act on Implementing Memorial Days and State Holidays (紀念日及節日實施辦法), which the parties jointly proposed, in its third and final reading today. The legislature passed the bill to amend the act, which is currently enforced administratively, raising it to the legal level. The new legislation recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
RSS