"If War Breaks Out, I Will Surrender" Taiwanese Officer Who Became Chinese Spy for 1.75 Million KRW Monthly Sentenced to Heavy Punishment

Received bribe and passed information... Also wrote surrender pledge
Prosecutors: There may be more officers involved in spy activities

A high-ranking officer in the Taiwanese Army who received monthly payments from China and engaged in espionage activities has been sentenced to a heavy prison term. It was revealed that this officer even pledged to defect to China in the event of a war.

According to Taiwan Liberty Times on the 10th, Taiwan's Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of Army Colonel Xiang Deyan, who was charged with corruption and bribery, on the 8th, thereby upholding the original sentence of 7 years and 6 months imprisonment.

Colonel Xiang Deyan, who served as the chief researcher at the Operations Research and Development Office of the Army Infantry Training Command, was prosecuted by prosecutors on charges of espionage for passing information to China in exchange for a monthly payment of 40,000 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 1.75 million KRW) since 2019. The total amount he received over the past four years for espionage activities reached 560,000 New Taiwan Dollars (approximately 24.4 million KRW).

It is known that Xiang Deyan was recruited by retired officer Xiao Weichang, who had been recruited by the Chinese Communist Party several years earlier, to conduct spy activities. According to investigative authorities, in 2018, when Xiang Deyan was discouraged by his divorce and considering discharge, Xiao Weichang approached him under the pretense of concern and subsequently recruited him as a spy.

Taiwan Army officer Xiang De'an (right) posing with a pledge to surrender to China in the event of war
[Image source=Screenshot from Taiwan Central News Agency report]

In particular, in January 2020, Xiang Deyan wrote a pledge while wearing his military uniform, stating that he would surrender to China if a war with China broke out, and took a photo of it. The pledge contained handwritten statements such as “Xiang Deyan supports peaceful reunification on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and swears loyalty to the motherland (China),” and “I will do my best for the motherland and strive to fulfill the glorious mission of peaceful reunification.”

In September of last year, Taiwanese prosecutors conducted investigations including searches against Xiang Deyan, who was working at the Army Infantry Training Command’s Operations Research and Development Office, and brought him to trial. Xiang Deyan admitted to the charges in the first trial and submitted the 560,000 New Taiwan Dollars he received as espionage payments as a fine.

Subsequently, the Kaohsiung District Court sentenced Xiang Deyan in February to 7 years and 6 months imprisonment and deprived him of political and civil rights for 4 years, and the second trial upheld the same judgment.

The court explained the sentencing by stating, “He coveted wealth and power, severely damaged national security, public sentiment, and morale by accepting bribes and signing the pledge, and disgraced the virtues and honor of a soldier.”

Meanwhile, prosecutors are reportedly expanding their investigation, believing that there are other Taiwanese military officers who colluded with Xiao Weichang besides Xiang Deyan. In fact, after his arrest, Xiang Deyan reportedly stated, “I am not the only one who signed; there are other officers as well.”