Two acquitted in free China trip vote-buying case

Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) Changhua District Court has acquitted two people accused of offering a free trip to China to 18 others in exchange for their agreement to vote for a candidate favored by Beijing in the run-up to Taiwan's presidential election in January.

Changhua prosecutors said they are considering appealing the Oct. 16 ruling by the district court, which cited a lack of solid evidence to back up the claims made in the indictment.

In collaboration with a Taiwanese businessman surnamed Cheng (鄭), a ward chief surnamed Tsai (蔡) from Hemei Township organized a trip for 18 people to travel to Dongguan in China's Guangdong Province from Nov. 18-23, 2023, prosecutors said.

The trip, costing NT$360,000 (US$11,250), was paid for by Cheng, who was allegedly tasked and financed by a Chinese official surnamed Huang (黃) to lure Taiwanese to China with the all-expenses paid trip, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Cheng texted the tour group members, asking them to pledge to vote for a certain candidate. All of them answered "yes," prosecutors added.

During a meal in Huangjiang Town with Chinese officials in attendance, Cheng even asked the tour group members to publicly show their backing for the candidate in question, prosecutors said.

Cheng and Tsai were later charged with violating the the Anti-Infiltration Act and the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act for allegedly buying votes for a certain presidential candidate.

Both men denied any wrongdoing in China, prosecutors said.

Cheng claimed the trip was about courting potential investors in China which was why all expenses were paid and there was no political-motivation.

Most of the group members said Cheng never instructed them to vote for a particular candidate in the presidential election.