Latest news with #TaipeiDistrictCourt
The Hindu
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Taiwan jails 10 people for spying for China
A Taiwanese court on Monday (June 30, 2025) jailed a coach of Chinese yo-yo and nine others for spying for Beijing, as Taipei seeks to counter China's influence on the self-ruled island. The two sides have been spying on each other for decades, but analysts say the threat to Taiwan is greater given that China has threatened to use force to bring Taipei under its control. Taipei District Court convicted nine defendants of violating the National Security Act for "developing an organisation for China", while another was found guilty of illegal currency exchange. The ringleader Lu Chi-hsien was a coach for "diabolo" — Chinese yo-yo — who was recruited during a visit to China, prosecutors said in November when he was indicted. Lu was "persuaded and enticed" by a Chinese "intelligence agent" and was paid to "develop an organisation, collect intelligence and military data", the court said in a statement. Lu recruited five former or then-active military and coast guard personnel, who went on to convince a dozen others to join them and hand over military documents. The ringleader was paid by Tian Xi, the only Chinese national among the defendants, who handled around NT$194 million ($6.6 million). He was given an eight-year prison term, while Lu was jailed for 10 years and six months, and the others were sentenced to between three and six years. They can appeal the ruling. Aside from the five recruited from the military and coast guard, those convicted included three friends of Lu, who moved a safe house, provided bank accounts, and digitised and delivered military documents to him. The number of people prosecuted for spying for Beijing has risen sharply in recent years, with retired and serving members of Taiwan's military the main targets of Chinese infiltration efforts, official figures show.
The Sun
30-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Taiwan jails 10 people for spying for China
TAIPEI: A Taiwanese court on Monday jailed a coach of Chinese yo-yo and nine others for spying for Beijing, as Taipei seeks to counter China's influence on the self-ruled island. The two sides have been spying on each other for decades, but analysts say the threat to Taiwan is greater given that China has threatened to use force to bring Taipei under its control. Taipei District Court convicted nine defendants of violating the National Security Act for 'developing an organisation for China', while another was found guilty of illegal currency exchange. The ringleader Lu Chi-hsien was a coach for 'diabolo' -- Chinese yo-yo -- who was recruited during a visit to China, prosecutors said in November when he was indicted. Lu was 'persuaded and enticed' by a Chinese 'intelligence agent' and was paid to 'develop an organisation, collect intelligence and military data', the court said in a statement. Lu recruited five former or then-active military and coast guard personnel, who went on to convince a dozen others to join them and hand over military documents. The ringleader was paid by Tian Xi, the only Chinese national among the defendants, who handled around NT$194 million ($6.6 million). He was given an eight-year prison term, while Lu was jailed for 10 years and six months, and the others were sentenced to between three and six years. They can appeal the ruling. Aside from the five recruited from the military and coast guard, those convicted included three friends of Lu, who moved a safe house, provided bank accounts, and digitised and delivered military documents to him. The number of people prosecuted for spying for Beijing has risen sharply in recent years, with retired and serving members of Taiwan's military the main targets of Chinese infiltration efforts, official figures show.
AsiaOne
12-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Singaporean woman given 6 months' jail in Taiwan for stalking singer, threatening her online
A Singaporean woman who took her fanaticism too far was sentenced to a six-month jail term by a Taipei court after she stalked and publicly harassed local singer Olivia Tsao, a multiple winner of Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards. Cassandra Low, who is in her 30s, was identified in a court judgment published by the New Taipei District Court on June 5. She was found guilty of endangering the personal safety of Ms Tsao, stalking and harassing her, and also publicly insulting the singer. According to the judgment, Low had been an admirer of Ms Tsao, and they had exchanged personal e-mails and messages over Facebook and Instagram since November 2023. But after Ms Tsao blocked Low on the social media platforms, Low became displeased and posted verbal threats and insults targeting the Taiwanese singer, her family and her agent. In one post on her Facebook account, Low wrote: 'I can be very aggressive. The more stubborn she is... don't blame me for whatever I do to her parents.' In another, she wrote: 'Blocking me, see how I slowly let her agent die.' Low's repeated threats caused Ms Tsao and her agent to leave their homes in New Taipei City. Her extreme behaviour came to a head in February, when she followed Ms Tsao to the Banqiao high-speed rail station after learning her idol was planning to take the train. Low successively held on to Ms Tsao's luggage and her phone in a bid to force the singer to unblock her on social media before she was taken away by local police to assist with investigations. In a video recorded by Ms Tsao during the February incident, Low can be seen blocking the singer's path until she agreed to a reconciliation. For her crimes, Low was sentenced to six months in prison, or a commuted fine of NT$1,000 (S$43) for each day of her jail term. The court had heard that Low is a Singaporean and earned a salary that was more than double that of someone working in Taiwan, meaning that a fine alone may not provide the intended corrective impact or reflect the severity of her crimes. Low will be deported from Taiwan after serving her sentence or paying her fine. On June 11, Ms Tsao expressed relief at the judgment. 'This is the most comforting piece of news I have received recently,' she wrote on Instagram and Facebook, thanking those around her and her lawyer for their companionship and help. Ms Tsao, 38, who sings mainly in Taiwanese Hokkien and is better known as Tsao Ya-wen, last won the Best Female Taiwanese Singer award at the prestigious Golden Melody Awards in 2021. She had previously spoken about feeling helpless and uncomfortable when fans harassed her and her family, without identifying anyone specifically. This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
AsiaOne
12-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Singaporean woman given 6 months' jail in Taiwan for stalking singer, threatening her online, Singapore News
A Singaporean woman who took her fanaticism too far was sentenced to a six-month jail term by a Taipei court after she stalked and publicly harassed local singer Olivia Tsao, a multiple winner of Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards. Cassandra Low, who is in her 30s, was identified in a court judgment published by the New Taipei District Court on June 5. She was found guilty of endangering the personal safety of Ms Tsao, stalking and harassing her, and also publicly insulting the singer. According to the judgment, Low had been an admirer of Ms Tsao, and they had exchanged personal e-mails and messages over Facebook and Instagram since November 2023. But after Ms Tsao blocked Low on the social media platforms, Low became displeased and posted verbal threats and insults targeting the Taiwanese singer, her family and her agent. In one post on her Facebook account, Low wrote: 'I can be very aggressive. The more stubborn she is... don't blame me for whatever I do to her parents.' In another, she wrote: 'Blocking me, see how I slowly let her agent die.' Low's repeated threats caused Ms Tsao and her agent to leave their homes in New Taipei City. Her extreme behaviour came to a head in February, when she followed Ms Tsao to the Banqiao high-speed rail station after learning her idol was planning to take the train. Low successively held on to Ms Tsao's luggage and her phone in a bid to force the singer to unblock her on social media before she was taken away by local police to assist with investigations. In a video recorded by Ms Tsao during the February incident, Low can be seen blocking the singer's path until she agreed to a reconciliation. For her crimes, Low was sentenced to six months in prison, or a commuted fine of NT$1,000 (S$43) for each day of her jail term. The court had heard that Low is a Singaporean and earned a salary that was more than double that of someone working in Taiwan, meaning that a fine alone may not provide the intended corrective impact or reflect the severity of her crimes. Low will be deported from Taiwan after serving her sentence or paying her fine. On June 11, Ms Tsao expressed relief at the judgment. 'This is the most comforting piece of news I have received recently,' she wrote on Instagram and Facebook, thanking those around her and her lawyer for their companionship and help. Ms Tsao, 38, who sings mainly in Taiwanese Hokkien and is better known as Tsao Ya-wen, last won the Best Female Taiwanese Singer award at the prestigious Golden Melody Awards in 2021. She had previously spoken about feeling helpless and uncomfortable when fans harassed her and her family, without identifying anyone specifically. This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
New Paper
11-06-2025
- New Paper
Singaporean woman given six months' jail in Taiwan for stalking singer, threatening her online
A Singaporean woman who took her fanaticism too far was sentenced to a six-month jail term by a Taipei court after she stalked and publicly harassed local singer Olivia Tsao, a multiple winner of Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards. Cassandra Low, who is in her 30s, was identified in a court judgment published by the New Taipei District Court on June 5. She was found guilty of endangering the personal safety of Ms Tsao, stalking and harassing her, and also publicly insulting the singer. According to the judgment, Low had been an admirer of Ms Tsao, and they had exchanged personal e-mails and messages over Facebook and Instagram since November 2023. But after Ms Tsao blocked Low on the social media platforms, Low became displeased and posted verbal threats and insults targeting the Taiwanese singer, her family and her agent. In one post on her Facebook account, Low wrote: "I can be very aggressive. The more stubborn she is... don't blame me for whatever I do to her parents." In another, she wrote: "Blocking me, see how I slowly let her agent die." Low's repeated threats caused Ms Tsao and her agent to leave their homes in New Taipei City. Her extreme behaviour came to a head in February, when she followed Ms Tsao to the Banqiao high-speed rail station after learning her idol was planning to take the train. Low successively held on to Ms Tsao's luggage and her phone in a bid to force the singer to unblock her on social media before she was taken away by local police to assist with investigations. In a video recorded by Ms Tsao during the February incident, Low can be seen blocking the singer's path until she agreed to a reconciliation. For her crimes, Low was sentenced to six months in prison, or a commuted fine of NT$1,000 (S$43) for each day of her jail term. The court had heard that Low is a Singaporean and earned a salary that was more than double that of someone working in Taiwan, meaning that a fine alone may not provide the intended corrective impact or reflect the severity of her crimes. Low will be deported from Taiwan after serving her sentence or paying her fine. On June 11, Ms Tsao expressed relief at the judgment. "This is the most comforting piece of news I have received recently," she wrote on Instagram and Facebook, thanking those around her and her lawyer for their companionship and help. Singer Olivia Tsao posted her relief after the judgment was passed. PHOTO: OLIVIAROUGEJALOUX/INSTAGRAM Ms Tsao, 38, who sings mainly in Taiwanese Hokkien and is better known as Tsao Ya-wen, last won the Best Female Taiwanese Singer award at the prestigious Golden Melody Awards in 2021. She had previously spoken about feeling helpless and uncomfortable when fans harassed her and her family, without identifying anyone specifically.
