Pro-China party member acquitted of national security charges

Taipei, June 26 (CNA) Ho Chien-hua (何建華), a member of Taiwan's pro-China Chinese Unification Promotion Party and former head of the Taipei-based Chinese Women's Federation, was found not guilty of national security violations after the Supreme Court dismissed a prosecution appeal on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court said it found no fault with the High Court's ruling, making the acquittal final.

Ho was indicted in 2020 for allegedly violating the National Security Act by helping develop networks for the Chinese Communist Party's United Front to secure funding, and for collecting intelligence on behalf of Chinese authorities.

Prosecutors said that since May 2017, Ho had organized groups of Chinese spouses in Taiwan to secure funding from China and had contacted organizations linked to the United Front while hosting events with themes such as "Chinese spouses returning home" and "cross-strait marriages and families."

She was also accused of monitoring Taiwanese independence supporters traveling to China and instructing members of the women's federation to gather intelligence on Falun Gong activities in Taiwan.

In February 2024, the Taipei District Court dismissed the charges against Ho related to receiving Chinese funding to develop organizations during a 2019 trip to Kinmen and Xiamen. She was also acquitted of other charges involving contact with United Front units and accepting funding, with the court citing insufficient evidence.

After prosecutors appealed the verdict, the Taiwan High Court in February 2025 reversed the dismissal and issued a not guilty ruling, citing insufficient evidence. It also upheld the not guilty verdict on charges related to receiving funding from United Front agencies, finding no evidence that Ho intended to endanger national security.

Ho was listed as a Chinese Unification Promotion Party's Legislator at-large candidate in 2020.