I SPY:An opposition legislator said 33 cases of Chinese espionage were too many, as draft amendments to the National Intelligence Services Act made initial progress

Taipei Times
Date: May 21, 2015
By: Jason Pan  /  Staff reporter

Officers found guilty of spying for foreign nations would face harsher punishment under draft amendments to the National Intelligence Services Act (國家情報工作法) that received preliminary legislative approval yesterday in Taipei.

The main draft amendment addresses Article 30 and would add a half term to the court’s sentence if a convict has been an officer for national security or related intelligence duties.

Legislators also approved making the amendment applicable to military personnel within a year of their retirement, in the wake of numerous cases of recently retired military officers found spying for China over the past few years.

In some cases, judges appeared to give lighter sentences because the convicted retired military officers were officially civilians. Such verdicts led to public anger and condemnation.     [FULL  STORY]