Detention of 2 DPP ex-staffers in China espionage case extended

Taipei, April 17 (CNA) The Taipei District Court on Thursday approved a request by prosecutors to extend the detention of two former staffers of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) suspected of engaging in espionage for China.

The two detainees, Chiu Shih-yuan (邱世元) and Huang Chu-jung (黃取榮), had been held in custody since mid-February after being summoned by Taipei District Prosecutors Office for questioning, with their detention period due to expire on Saturday.

Citing strong suspicion of serious crimes and concerns over potential collusion or destruction of evidence, prosecutors sought an extension of Chiu and Huang's detention. The court held a hearing on Thursday afternoon and approved the request.

The two will have their detention extended for another two months starting Sunday and remain held incommunicado during the period.

Chiu, former deputy head of the DPP's Taiwan Institute of Democracy, and Huang, a former assistant to DPP New Taipei Councilor Lee Yu-tien (李余典), are among several individuals suspected of spying for Chinese intelligence services while working for senior officials in the DPP government, which has been in power since 2016.

Other suspects in the case include Wu Shang-yu (吳尚雨), who worked as an adviser in the office of President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), and Ho Jen-chieh (何仁傑), former assistant to the Secretary-General of the National Security Council Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) during his tenure as Taiwan's Foreign Minister.

According to the prosecutors, Huang was likely recruited by Beijing's intelligence services when doing business in China, and, after returning to Taiwan, started working with Ho, Wu Shang-yu and Chiu to gather confidential information about Lai and other top officials.

After giving such information to the Chinese intelligence services through Huang, Ho, Wu and Chiu received tens of thousands of Taiwan dollars in return, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors claimed the probe into the case was expanded after they traced money flows between Huang and the others in February. Huang, Wu and Chiu were detained in February following questioning, with Ho added to the list last week.