DATE=8/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236943
TITLE=CHINA/TAIWAN SPIES (S ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A BEIJING COURT HAS SENTENCED A TAIWANESE BUSINESSMAN TO
FOUR-YEARS IN PRISON FOR ESPIONAGE, BUT IT HAS EXEMPTED HIS THREE
FELLOW DEFENDANTS FROM PUNISHMENT. CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON
REPORTS TAIWAN HAS EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE VERDICT,
BUT SAYS IT RESPECTS BEIJING'S JURISDICTION IN THE CASE.
TEXT: KOU CHIEN-MING WAS ACCUSED OF WORKING FOR TAIWAN'S
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. PROSECUTORS SAID HE AND HIS THREE
COLLEAGUES ILLEGALLY ENTERED CHINA SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PAST
FIVE-YEARS AND ENGAGED IN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND MILITARY
ESPIONAGE UNTIL THEY WERE ARRESTED LAST MARCH.
THE OTHER THREE MEN, WHO -- ALONG WITH THE 42-YEAR-OLD KOU --
WERE CONNECTED TO AN ORGANIZATION PURPORTEDLY ENGAGED IN CIVIL
EXCHANGES BETWEEN TAIWAN AND CHINA, WERE ALSO CONVICTED. BUT THE
THREE WERE EXEMPTED FROM PUNISHMENT FOR WHAT BEIJING'S OFFICIAL
"XINHUA" NEWS AGENCY DESCRIBES AS -- MERITORIOUS SERVICES TO
ATONE FOR THEIR CRIMES. XINHUA DID NOT ELABORATE. THE THREE ARE
BEING EXPELLED FROM CHINA.
TAIWAN HAS ALWAYS DENIED THE FOUR MEN ENGAGED IN ESPIONAGE OR
WERE LINKED TO ITS MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. WEDNESDAY, THE
ISLAND'S SEMI-OFFICIAL "STRAITS EXCHANGE FOUNDATION" -- WHICH
HANDLES LINKS WITH CHINA -- SAID, DESPITE NOT BEING ENTIRELY
SATISFIED WITH THE VERDICT, IT RECOGNIZES BEIJING'S LEGAL
JURISDICTION. (SIGNED)
NEB/RAE
12-Aug-98 7:16 AM EDT (1116 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
