Special operations root out potential espionage

National security agencies have uncovered hundreds of cases of espionage and theft of secrets by Taiwan in recent years and have arrested a group of spies and operatives from the island, according to an article published on an official WeChat account of the Ministry of State Security on Wednesday.

Since the Democratic Progressive Party came to power, Taiwan's intelligence agencies have actively served as the vanguard for "Taiwan independence" forces, intensifying espionage on the mainland, the article said.

In response, national security authorities took decisive action, organizing and implementing special operations in recent years that resulted in the dismantling of multiple espionage networks set up by Taiwan's intelligence agencies targeting the mainland, it said.

On Aug 3, 2022, the national security authorities, for the first time, pursued criminal charges against individuals suspected of committing crimes of secession and incitement to secession, in accordance with the law, targeting individuals involved in "Taiwan independence".

In August 2022, the state security bureau in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, took measures against Yang Chih-yuan, a criminal suspect from Taiwan, who is accused of crimes related to secession and incitement, putting him under residential surveillance at a designated location.

In April last year, the bureau concluded the investigation into him and handed the case to the Wenzhou procuratorate for review and prosecution. Later, the procuratorate approved his arrest. The case is currently being processed.

Yang, born in January 1990 in Taichung of Taiwan, has long advocated for "Taiwan independence". Together with others he set up the "Taiwan national party", with the goal of "promoting Taiwan to become a sovereign and independent state and join the United Nations", and planned and carried out separatist activities for "Taiwan independence", according to a previous official statement.

Wednesday's article noted that, ahead of Taiwan's leadership elections this month, the island's intelligence agencies once again acted as enforcers of "Taiwan independence", vigorously promoting the narrative of "mainland intervention in Taiwan elections".

Taiwan's intelligence agencies aggressively suppressed political figures and even ordinary citizens engaged in cross-Strait exchanges, colluding with external forces to create disruptions in the elections, the article said. They have become tools for "Taiwan independence "forces, aiming to eliminate dissent, hinder cross-Strait exchanges and serve as instruments against those with different views, it added.