Three More Accused of Spying for China

Prosecutors say they've busted yet another Chinese spy ring. One official says it's time to take more action to protect national security.

Transcript

00:00Prosecutors say this is the would-be ringleader of a new Chinese spy ring, caught before his

00:05plan got off the ground.

00:07He's a former officer in Taiwan's military who's made a career in China.

00:11He's spoken to Chinese media in the past, saying Taiwan shouldn't unfairly block cross-strait

00:15exchanges.

00:17But prosecutors say that more recently, it's exchanges of Taiwan's military secrets he

00:21had in mind.

00:23They allege that he planned to infiltrate the ranks with help from two accomplices.

00:27Both are members of the fringe Chinese Unification Promotion Party, who prosecutors say accepted

00:32whining and dining at China's expense in return for their services.

00:37It's something the party's leader denies.

00:50What is certain is that this isn't an isolated case.

00:53In recent years, Taiwan has unearthed a long string of Chinese espionage cases.

00:58Many involve active or former military members, including a case that just ended last week

01:03with sentences of up to 13 years.

01:05Defense analysts say this model, recruiting Taiwanese people to do China's spying, is

01:10cost-effective for Beijing.

01:29But the regular pace at which China is putting these rings together has at least one official

01:33alarmed and calling for action.

01:36Lai Zhenjiang, a member of the government's watchdog and auditing body, says that since

01:402011, the number of Chinese spies Taiwan's uncovered has grown 12-fold.

01:45And Lai says that all the while, the budget for protecting against them has been cut.

02:02China has shown a determination to keep recruiting and sending spies, no matter how many are

02:06caught.

02:07To counter them, and protect its national security, Taiwan will have to start from within

02:11its own ranks.

02:13Justin Wu and John Vientriest for Taiwan Plus.