Taiwanese man indicted for alleged election meddling

A Taiwanese man, identified as Cheng, is facing charges under election and anti-infiltration laws for orchestrating sponsored trips to China, marking the first indictment of its kind just weeks before Taiwan’s crucial election on January 13.

As tensions rise in anticipation of the election to choose a new president and parliament, officials had previously cautioned about potential attempts by China to sway Taiwanese voters.

Cheng, a member of a pro-Beijing civic group, stands accused of organizing visits to five Chinese provinces between May and October, allegedly funded and commissioned by an infiltration source.

The prosecution, based in southern Kaohsiung city, revealed that Cheng’s mission was to “promote candidates and deliver unfair benefits to voters.”

The statement, released on Monday, emphasized Cheng’s awareness that Chinese authorities supported the ‘pan-blue’ camp, referring to the Kuomintang party (KMT), known for its pro-Beijing stance.

While the exact number of participants in these trips remains undisclosed, prosecutors highlighted that tour group members were only responsible for covering their airfares.

All other expenses incurred during their stay in China were purportedly covered by “regional governments.” Cheng allegedly collected a $65 “service fee” per person.

This development follows a separate case earlier this month, where prosecutors in Ciaotou were investigating five individuals for organizing trips to China’s Hunan province in November.

These trips were also suspected to be sponsored by Chinese authorities, with the main suspect, Chou, accused of influencing voters’ intentions and fabricating opinion polls to impact election results.

The looming election has brought forth contrasting stances among candidates, with KMT’s candidate Hou Yu-ih framing it as a choice “between war and peace.”

Hou has pledged to foster closer ties with Beijing if elected. In opposition, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate Lai Ching-te, labeled “a stubborn worker for Taiwan independence” by Beijing, and third-party candidate Ko Wen-je present alternative visions for Taiwan’s future.