Ex-soldier indicted for pledging allegiance to China

Kaohsiung, Jan. 9 (CNA) A former Marine Corps soldier has been indicted for allegedly pledging allegiance to China in exchange for money and selling military secrets, with prosecutors in Kaohsiung seeking a heavy sentence.

Chen (陳), a petty officer 2nd class who had served in a Marine Corps unit since 2017, became acquainted online with a Chinese national using the alias "Jixiang" (吉祥) in January last year, the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office said in a news release Friday.

Acting on instructions, Chen allegedly filmed videos at his residence in Kaohsiung's Nanzih District between February and March showing himself holding China's national flag, acknowledging Taiwan as part of China and expressing allegiance to Beijing, prosecutors said.

He was paid NT$200,000 (US$6,313) for the videos and for expressing support for the Chinese Communist Party's position.

Prosecutors said Chen later exploited his position between May and June to photograph and transmit various military documents to Jixiang using his smartphone, including information on weapons configurations and amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) capabilities.

In July, Chen informed his Chinese contact of President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) unannounced visit to a Kaohsiung military base and accepted a NT$10,000 bribe in return, prosecutors said.

That same month, Chen also sent documents and electronic records related to Taiwan's drone programs and the annual Han Kuang military exercises to Jixiang via the messaging app LINE. He had not yet received any payment for the information.

Acting on a tip, prosecutors and military police searched Chen's residence and arrested him in August. He was dismissed from service in November and formally indicted in December on charges including violations of the National Security Act and the Anti-Corruption Act.

Prosecutors said that while serving as an active-duty service member responsible for national defense, Chen acted out of personal gain by filming videos pledging allegiance to China and repeatedly leaking sensitive military and national security information. They said his actions seriously endangered national security and military discipline and urged the court to impose a heavy sentence as a warning to others.