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Send a HeroBox Care Package Today!CHINA THREAT โย Even as it ramps up invasion drills, aerial incursions and other overt military threats, communistย China's spies have also infiltrated Taiwan'sย military in a bid to subvert the democratic island republic's defenses from within,ย according to a new Reutersย special featureย report.
This infiltration has been going on for at least the past ten years when relations were more open and less hostile, and has reached senior levels. It appears Taiwan's spy catchers have become more aggressive about finding them and prosecuting them, and the mood in Taiwan has also now become far less permissive.
SEE ALSO: US Headed for โCatastrophic Defeat' in War With China Warns Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich
But the espionage and subversion threat is extremely worrisome to both Taiwan and its allies.
Reutersย reportsย that:
Taiwan's spycatchers are battling a sustained Chinese espionage campaign. Beijing's aim, say former Taiwan and U.S. officers, is to glean details on the island's defense planning and undermine its leaders. Even the security detail of President Tsai Ing-wen has been compromised.
Using documents from recent prosecutions, Reuters describesย โhow Beijing allegedly sought out commanders in the Taiwan military and induced them to become spies.โ Chinese officials were also able to โextract details of high-tech weapons and gain insights into defense planning.โ
Reuters adds:
In the past decade, at least 21 serving or retired Taiwanese officers with the rank of captain or above have been convicted of spying for China, according to a Reuters review of court records and reports from Taiwan's official news agencies. At least nine other serving or retired members of the armed forces are currentlyย on trial or being investigated on suspicion of contacts with spies from China, the review shows.
In July,ย Taiwan's Mirror Media reportedย that the island's former deputy defense minister, General Chang Che-ping, was questioned in a national security investigation.
Defense Oneย summarizesย the report:
How it starts:ย With small gifts, โlike drinks or meals.โ But it's that โfirst piece of secret informationโ that often yields the highest price, a former naval commander told Reuters. โThis payment would later be used to blackmail them into supplying further intelligence at a much lower price, he said.โย
How Beijing views Taiwan now: As a โwandererโ that will eventually come home,ย China's foreign minister said (viaย Reutersย again) Monday in Beijing. โTaiwan is a wanderer who will eventually come home, not a chess piece to be used by others,โ Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, and added, โChina must and will be reunified.โ
Accordingย to Reuters:
Beijing has even penetrated the security detail assigned to protect Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen. A retired presidential security officer and a serving military police lieutenant colonel at the unit tasked with protecting the president had their conviction upheld earlier this year for leaking sensitive information about Tsai's security to a Chinese intelligence agency.
Reuters continues:
In a report released in September about the Chinese military, Taiwan's defense ministry acknowledged that in an attack, agents for China โlurkingโ on the island could strike at command centers to โdecapitateโ Taiwan's military and political leadership and demoralize its armed forces.
SEE ALSO: General Compares Suspected Chinese Weapons Test to Sputnik Crisis
Even the discovery of Chinese spies in peacetime is a potentially demoralizing blow to Taiwan.ย
โThe repeated cases of the most senior level of Taiwan armed forces officers being convicted of espionage has got to have a psychological effect on the officer corps and in the ranks,โ said retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Grant Newsham.
READ THE FULL REUTERS REPORTย HERE.
SEE ALSO: God Bless the Republic of China on Taiwan
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions ofย American Liberty News.
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2 Comments
But at least the folks in Taiwan have the guts to try and convict their traitors in their military. We still have Milley on the payroll.
Ya, I think that report has merit. The CCP has “Thoroughly Marxist Milley and Austin III” in their pocket too!