Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Penalties set for economic espionage

Taipei Times

Lawmakers signal their parties’ stances on the third reading of draft amendments to the National Security Act at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times

The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed amendments setting penalties for economic espionage of up to 12 years in prison or a NT$100 million (US$3.37 million) fine, and banning employees in key industries from traveling to China without permission, as it seeks to stifle theft of key technologies.

Preventing another shooting

Taipei Times Editorial

A deadly shooting in southern California has sent shock waves throughout Taiwan.

On Sunday, 40 members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church had gathered in Laguna Woods for a luncheon in honor of Pastor Billy Chang (張承宗), when David Wenwei Chou (周文偉), 68, allegedly entered the church and opened fire, killing one churchgoer and injuring five others.

As the church has long backed Taiwan’s independence from China, law enforcement officials suspect Chou targeted it out of anger over its stance.

Church shooting suspect tied to pro-China group

Taipei Times

Suspect in the Laguna Woods church shooting David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas is shown in this police booking photo released by the Orange County Sheriff`s Department on May 16, 2022.
Photo: Reuters

The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) on Monday called on the US to label organizations associated with the suspect in the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church shooting as domestic terrorists, following accusations that he was a member of a group backing unification with ties to the Chinese government.

David Wenwei Chou (周文偉), 68, was arrested on Sunday and is being held in lieu of US$1 million bail at the Orange County Intake Release Center over a mass shooting at the California church that left one dead and five wounded.

Taiwan Internet celebrities being paid by CCP: NSB

Taipei Times

National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong arrives at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times

The nation’s intelligence chief yesterday said that some local Internet celebrities are being paid by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to conduct “cognitive warfare” campaigns in Taiwan and help Beijing spread propaganda.

National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) said that one example happened in early March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when a Taiwanese Internet celebrity on TikTok claimed that the Chinese government was offering to evacuate Taiwanese from the European nation.

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