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.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS