A court in New Taipei City has sentenced a woman to seven years in prison following her conviction for conspiring with Chinese government officials and proxies to influence Taiwanese politics. The defendant, Hsu Chun-ying, who was born in China and later obtained Taiwanese citizenship, was found guilty of violating the Anti-Infiltration Act. Additionally, the court ruled that she breached the Banking Act by transferring 24.5 million New Taiwan Dollars, equivalent to $760,000, out of China through unauthorized banking channels.
Hsu’s case has drawn significant public attention due to her background as a mainland spouse—a term for individuals born in China who immigrated to Taiwan through marriage. This community has faced increasing scrutiny amid heightened tensions between the two sides. Taiwan and China have remained separated since the 1949 civil war, with Beijing continuing to claim the self-governing island as its territory. In recent times, China has frequently conducted military exercises near the island, prompting Taiwan to prioritize its defense capabilities and arms acquisitions.
Prosecutors alleged that Hsu’s actions were aimed at gathering intelligence for mainland China and swaying local political outcomes. Evidence publicized during the proceedings included communications between Hsu and officials such as Yang Wentao, a director at the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs, and Sun Xian, a deputy head of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang in Shanghai. According to the prosecution, these exchanges involved discussions on which political candidates to support to secure lawmaker positions for mainland spouses in both the Taipei mayoral and the 2024 presidential elections. Specifically, prosecutors stated that Hsu and Yang coordinated efforts to support independent Taipei mayoral candidate Huang Shan-shan, who later joined the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), and subsequently campaigned for TPP founder Ko Wen-je.
Hsu, who previously served as the head of the Cross Straits Marriage and Family Services alliance, was briefly considered a TPP legislative candidate before withdrawing due to questions regarding her loyalty and ties to China. In 2024, she stated that her intentions were simply to serve New Residents, the government term for immigrants to the island. Her organization was disbanded by the Interior Ministry in May for failing to hold director elections on time. Hsu could not be reached for comment regarding the sentencing.
The verdict has faced criticism from some observers, including writer and activist Shangguanluan, who argued that the charges were vaguely worded and could be weaponized by the government. The legal action coincides with a broader trend of increased concern regarding espionage and technology smuggling in Taiwan. In 2025, authorities deported three Chinese spouses for advocating for reunification through military force and required 12,000 mainland spouses with citizenship to prove their Chinese household registrations had been canceled. Furthermore, authorities have investigated cases involving the smuggling of advanced technology to China and the prosecution of soldiers for leaking sensitive security information.
Critics said the judgment was problematic because the wording of the charges was vague.
Worries over espionage and tech smuggling to China have grown as authorities continue to prosecute cases.
