Over 50 listed as suspects in alleged subsidized China trip case

Taipei, Jan. 10 (CNA) More than 50 people, mostly Yilan County residents, who traveled to Beijing last year on a trip allegedly subsidized by the Chinese government, have been listed as suspects for violating anti-infiltration and election laws after being questioned at the Yilan District Prosecutors Office.

In a statement released Wednesday, the prosecutor's office said that 53 people in three tour groups were found to have traveled to Beijing for five-day trips in December 2023.

The tour guides, however, were found not to be travel agency staff, and their itineraries were found to have been arranged by China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), which covered the lodging, food, and transportation costs incurred by the groups, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors added that the 53 people, including several village/neighborhood chiefs, were summoned for questioning at the office Tuesday regarding potential violations of the law to prevent the infiltration and intervention of foreign hostile forces, ahead of Taiwan's elections on Jan. 13.

The locals were also suspected of violating laws regulating the election and recall of public officials, and the election and recall of the president and vice president.

According to Yilan district prosecutors, the people were found during questioning on Tuesday to have been invited by Chinese officials in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province and Hebei Province, and to have traveled on schedules arranged by TAO officials.

Prosecutors also found that during the trip, people were asked to state that they "support the parties that boost cross-strait relations," and "oppose Taiwan independence."

Some members of the tour groups were also found to have joined Chinese officials in chanting the slogans "both sides share the same language and blood" and "both sides need to facilitate peaceful exchanges," prosecutors said.

The 53 were sent home after questioning, but prosecutors said they would continue their investigation to find out whether there was foreign interference and bribery involved in the tour to China.

Prosecutors said that they began the investigation after receiving a tip-off that several individuals in Yilan County had invited village and township chiefs on trips to China since August of last year.

On the trips, attendees were allegedly only required to pay for their plane tickets, with the rest of the travel expenses paid for by the Chinese side.

Prosecutors found some attendees had posted and shared photos on social media platforms, claiming they had been invited and treated by the TAO.

According to prosecutors, after investigating the departure records of the village and neighborhood chiefs, they found not much travel had taken place over the last four years, but that the frequency of trips to Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Xiamen had increased since May 2023.

Tour participants also included leaders of Taiwanese civil groups, prosecutors added.

Related news:

Jan. 9: Keelung ward chief indicted for arranging subsidized China trip