Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) One more field officer was detained and held incommunicado Wednesday by prosecutors on suspicion of spying for China, after a retired Air Force captain and six active military officers were indicted in the same espionage case earlier this year.
The detainee surnamed Cheng (鄭) was accused of providing confidential information to a retired captain surnamed Liu (劉), according to the Taiwan High Court branch in Kaohsiung.
In April, Liu and six alleged accomplices were charged with violating the Classified National Security Information Protection Act.
According to the investigation, Liu began doing business in China after retiring from the Air Force in 2013.
He was then recruited by the Chinese side to serve as a spy and, using his personnel connections in the military, helped recruit active military officers in the Navy and Air Force to engage in spying activities, according to prosecutors.
They allege Liu recruited at least six officers into his spy ring and received “rewards” of between NT$200,000 (US$6,436) and NT$700,000 from the Chinese side through a shell company he established.
In addition, Liu was given bonuses of between NT$30,000 and NT$100,000 if his benefactors were supplied with information on Taiwan’s military.
