Taiwanese prosecutors have indicted three former military personnel in Kaohsiung over allegations that they gathered sensitive military intelligence for China, in a case highlighting growing concerns about espionage targeting Taiwan’s armed forces.
The Kaohsiung branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said Thursday that the three suspects were charged under Taiwan’s National Security Act, Anti-Corruption Act, Classified National Security Information Protection Act and the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces. The allegations date back to 2020, according to prosecutors.
At the center of the case is a retired Air Force serviceman surnamed Chen. Prosecutors allege that Chen had been receiving instructions and financial support from an intelligence organization linked to the Chinese Communist Party since 2020.
Investigators said Chen obtained military information, including tank specifications and details related to the Han Kuang military exercises, through an Army serviceman who was on active duty at the time.
Prosecutors also allege that Chen traveled to Zhuhai, China, in 2024 with another retired officer, where they attended a banquet with Chinese intelligence officials. According to the prosecution, Chen sought to establish an organization that could operate on behalf of China and encouraged the other officer to approach active-duty personnel for military information.
The case comes as Taiwan authorities report an increase in espionage-related prosecutions involving alleged Chinese intelligence activities.
Taiwan’s National Security Bureau reported last year that the number of people indicted on suspicion of spying for China rose from 16 in 2021 to 64 in 2024. Of those indicted in 2024, 43 were current or former military personnel, according to the bureau.
Authorities have increasingly identified military personnel as potential targets for intelligence-gathering efforts. In April, prosecutors in Kaohsiung also indicted nine active-duty and retired military personnel who were allegedly recruited through online networks to collect confidential military information for China. That case is expected to be the first National Security Act case tried by citizen judges under Taiwan’s Citizen Judges Act.
The latest indictment underscores the security challenges facing Taiwan as authorities continue investigating alleged attempts to obtain military information through current and former members of the armed forces.
The three defendants will now face the judicial process, where the allegations and evidence presented by prosecutors will be subject to court review.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
