Ex-aide faces DPP expulsion following espionage indictment

Taipei, April 2 (CNA) The ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Taipei chapter on Thursday approved a resolution to expel a former aide to Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Mark Ho (何志偉), hours after he was indicted for allegedly spying for China.

The chapter approved the resolution during ad hoc meetings of its executive and evaluation committees, according to chapter head Chang Mao-nan (張茂楠).

Both committees unanimously approved the resolution to expel Chu Cheng-chi (朱政騏), in line with the party's earlier statement that it would not tolerate actions harmful to the country and would impose the "strictest punishment."

The resolution is still pending approval by the DPP headquarters.

● Ex-legislative aide indicted in spy case

Chu, who worked for Ho when he was a legislator, was charged with espionage by the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office, which recommended a prison sentence of at least five years.

According to the indictment, while serving as Ho's aide in August 2022, Chu photographed classified documents in legislative offices and passed them to an individual linked to the Chinese Communist Party in exchange for 20,000 yuan (US$2,910).

Chu, who had been expected to be nominated by the DPP as its Taipei City councilor candidate for the Zhongshan-Datong electoral district, later told reporters that he respected the chapter's decision and would not run in the Nov. 28 election as an independent.

However, he denied ever spying for China and vowed to prove his innocence in court.

In a statement, Ho said he was "furious" upon learning of Chu's actions.

He added that Chu had been hired to assist with constituency services, rather than as a legislative aide.