Taiwan is ramping up its efforts to combat Chinese espionage, with legislators proposing an amendment aimed at stripping benefits from military retirees convicted of espionage-related offenses. According to Taipei Times, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators have put forward this proposal in response to a sustained espionage campaign by China.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Puma Shen has accused China of frequently utilizing retired military officers to infiltrate Taiwan’s active military ranks, thereby establishing a spy network among both serving and retired military personnel. Shen emphasized that the proposed amendment specifically targets retirees who have been convicted under the Anti-infiltration Act and the National Security Act.
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The proposed amendment, submitted by legislators Shen, Lin, Wu Li-hua, Lin Yi-chin, and Tsai Yi-yu to the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, seeks to amend the Military Service for Officers and Non-commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces Act. It stipulates that retirees convicted of acts endangering national security or facilitating foreign invasion lose their retirement benefits, even if the prosecutor does not pursue the case or defers prosecution.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Navy is bolstering its defenses against Chinese military aggression by commissioning two more domestically-built Tou Jiang-class stealth missile corvettes next month. These vessels, the Hsu Jiang (PGG-621) and the Wu Jiang (PGG-623), will join the Navy’s fleet to enhance its maritime capabilities. Designed and manufactured in Taiwan, the Tou Jiang-class corvettes are known for their speed and stealth features, providing a significant boost to Taiwan’s naval defense capabilities.
