Former KMT aides sentenced for espionage
CONNECTIONS: The trio, one of whom has died, allegedly stole classified materials from lawmakers, and used a computer technician and reporters to collect information
By Jason Pan / Staff reporter
The Taipei District Court yesterday sentenced two former aides of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers to prison for espionage and contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法).
Prosecutors in August last year charged former aides Lin Yung-ta (林雍達), Chen Wei-jen (陳惟仁) and Lee Yi-hsien (李易諴) with stealing classified materials from lawmakers at the legislature and passing them on to their Chinese handler, and for allegedly trying to hack into President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) medical records.
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Following the Department of Defense s lead, the State Department, Central Intelligence Agency, and National Security Agency are belatedly moving to support employees who believe they have suffered radio frequency/microwave attacks while serving abroad.
Responding to workforce and congressional concerns on this issue, the
Washington Examiner can report that the CIA will imminently appoint a new chief medical officer. Still, the Senate and House intelligence, foreign relations, and armed services committees are increasingly frustrated by what they believe is a failure to support victims of suspected attacks and to hold accountable those responsible.
The significant majority of those who have investigated this issue, or suffered from it, believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is responsible for the RF/MW attacks.
HK passes bill on immigration that may allow exit bars
AFP, HONG KONG
Hong Kong yesterday passed a new immigration law that includes powers to stop people entering or leaving the territory.
The bill sailed through the Hong Kong Legislative Council.
Rights advocates, lawyers and some business figures have sounded the alarm over provisions within the bill, including one that allows the territory’s immigration officials to bar people from boarding planes to and from Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam attends a session at the Hong Kong Legislative Council yesterday.
Photo: EPA-EFE
No court order is required and there is no recourse to appeal.
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In the Middle East and North Africa, there is increasing interest in collaborating with Chinese enterprises in investment and development of infrastructure. China is also keen to reorient the global economy to place China at the centre of world commerce through its Belt and Road Initiative. The “Belt” is short for the “Silk Road Economic Belt,” the proposed network of overland routes for road and rail transportation. The “Road” is the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” a network of ports and related installations throughout the world even including the polar Arctic (“the Polar Silk Road”).
Satellite image of a forced labor camp in Xinjiang, China. (Source: International Cyber Policy Centre, Australian Strategic Policy Institute)