Taiwan Court Sentences 2 Former Military Sergeants in China Spy Case

TAIPEI, Taiwan—A Taiwan court has sentenced two former sergeants to at least seven years in prison alongside a civilian accomplice for spying on behalf of China.The Kaohsiung branch of the Taiwan High Court on Aug. 19 handed down prison sentences to a former army sergeant surnamed Fang and a former air force sergeant surnamed Huang for espionage-related offenses committed while on active duty.Fang was sentenced to 10 years and four months in prison for accepting bribes, alongside a two-year sentence for violations of Taiwan’s National Security Act and a two-month term for forgery.Huang was sentenced to seven years in prison for accepting bribes.Fang and Huang joined the “Wolong Society,” which the court described as a front group set up by Chinese intelligence for its “united front” operations against Taiwan. The sergeants did so to resolve personal debts, even filming videos pledging their allegiance to the group, according to the court.Huang handed over classified materials to agents associated with the group and received more than NT$467,000 (about $14,000). Fang supplied unclassified materials, receiving NT$414,500 (about $13,000).Fang also attempted to assist the group by developing a spy network in Taiwan by recruiting military colleagues to join, though his efforts were unsuccessful.The civilian codefendant, surnamed Pan, operated on instructions from the group to deliver secrets to agents dispatched from China, funnel bribes to Fang and pay off his debts, and successfully recruit Huang into the spy ring, according to the court. For this role, Pan pocketed NT$30,000 (roughly $940) in illicit profits.Pan received separate prison terms of four years for handing over state secrets, four years for violating Taiwan’s National Security Act, and 14 months for bribery.In explaining its sentencing rationale, the court emphasized Fang and Huang’s sworn duty to protect Taiwan.“They were obligated to abide by the Constitution of the Republic of China, remain loyal to the country, and perform their duties to safeguard national security,” the court stated, referring to Taiwan’s official name.“However, driven by greed to resolve personal debt, they disregarded the ongoing military standoff across the Taiwan Strait, breached their official duties by accepting bribes, and broke the law by delivering state secrets to agents dispatched by China.”The case highlights the broader friction between China’s communist regime and Taiwan. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims the self-ruled island as its territory, vowing to reunite with the island by force if necessary.The CCP’s “united front” effort is spearheaded by its United Front Work Department, which oversees a network of organizations tasked with co-opting civic groups, gathering intelligence, shaping the political environments of other countries, and influencing public opinion.Taiwan’s national news agency, the Central News Agency (CNA), reported a similar case involving the Wolong Society on Aug. 18, when prosecutors in Kaohsiung charged a Taiwanese soldier surnamed Chiang for corruption and violation of Taiwan’s National Security Act.Chiang served as a sergeant in Taiwan’s military police from October 2019 to January 2025, and re-enlisted as a sergeant with a reserve brigade, according to the outlet.According to prosecutors, Chiang joined the group to resolve his personal debts and filmed videos pledging allegiance to the group while expressing support for Taiwan’s unification with China.Chiang allegedly received nearly NT$600,000 (about $19,000) in illicit payments and handed over electronic files related to military systems, along with photographs of classified electronic records, according to the outlet.