The Ministry of National Defense has denied reports in Taiwanese print media alleging that military officers regularly sell sensitive information to China.
The reports quoted US-based newsweekly Defense News, saying that Chinese spying on the Taiwanese military has become rampant, with even generals selling military secrets. The original report in Defense News, published October 11, said that China has succeeded in obtaining important intelligence partly because of declining morale in Taiwan’s military.
In response, the defense ministry said Friday that officers and soldiers themselves had reported 12 of the 14 espionage cases discovered over the past three years. The ministry also said that none of the cases involved sensitive military equipment.
The defense ministry said that many Chinese spies attempt to extract information by using Taiwanese informants who have returned to Taiwan after working in China. The Taiwanese informants in turn try to coax information from active or retired servicemen. The ministry said that others take a more direct approach, plying military men and their families with gifts, overseas trips, and banquets.
The defense ministry also said that it has not been lax in its counterintelligence efforts. The ministry said that it is also working to instill a greater sense of loyalty and vigilance in soldiers and officers while tightening control over security mechanisms to safeguard Taiwan from Chinese espionage.