China's CCTV aired the confession of a Taiwanese man named Cheng Yu-chin who said he did something that harmed China. According to the state-run media he took NT$2.76 million in intelligence funding and previously worked as an assistant to former Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Cho Jung-tai, which Cho has denied.


China previously reported that it had uncovered a Taiwan spy ring involving several hundred operatives. China's CCTV ran a program on the evening of Oct. 12, in which the "confession" of a Taiwanese man named Cheng Yu-chin was aired. The authorities claimed that Cheng previously served as an assistant to former Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Cho Jung-tai and was recruited by the National Security Bureau and the Military Intelligence Bureau to serve as a spy in China. According to the state media, he received NT$2.76 million in intelligence funding and was captured as he entered China in April 2019.

I can actually understand why the Chinese government feels this way, because there is not a single country that will accept people trying to divide up its territory. I understand this, and I know that what I did harmed China.

Cheng has been indicted for spying, and his case is already being tried. Meanwhile, Cho denied knowing Cheng in a Facebook post, saying he does not know this person and this person was never his assistant. Premier Su Tseng-chang responded by accusing China of always using "baseless" methods to threaten and vilify, saying this is not the behavior of a powerful country. He also claimed Taiwan no longer sends spies to China.

Taiwan no longer does this type of thing. Moreover, we don't have to do this type of thing.

I previously served as the leader of the New Culture Task Force. Over the past 20 years, we've held a countless number of activities, but I have no impression of Cheng Yu-chin.

The DPP also accused the CCTV report of twisting facts and trying to undermine cross-strait relations. Meanwhile, the Mainland Affairs Council found fault with how CCTV arranged for Cheng to be interviewed and acknowledge his mistakes and repent. It criticized this method and said it was completely inconsistent with due process and also framed the Taiwanese people.

The Chinese Communist Party continues to maliciously hype politics. It's using false national security pretexts to suppress exchanges and deliberately destroy the cross-strait relationship.

The Mainland Affairs Council and Straits Exchange Foundation say they have not received any calls from Cheng's family providing information or requesting assistance. They will continue gathering information to assist family members should they request help.



中國先前宣稱，破獲數百起台灣間諜情報機關竊密案件，中國官媒央視持續猛打台諜案，12號晚間的黃金時段節目，指控台人鄭宇欽曾擔任前民進黨主席卓榮泰的助理，疑似被國安局、軍情局吸收，在中國從事間諜行為，並收取276萬的情報經費，他在2019年4月入境中國時被逮。

央視節目遭控台諜學者 鄭宇欽：「其實我是可以理解，中國大陸政府的心情。因為沒有一個國家，能夠容許有人在主張分裂國土，我是明白的，對。那我知道，我做這個事情，是對中國大陸有傷害。」

鄭宇欽捲入台諜案，目前被控間諜罪，中國強調已進入法院審理階段。但卓榮泰已在臉書否認兩人關係，強調不認識鄭宇欽，也沒有讓他當過助理。行政院長蘇貞昌則反批中國，老是用「莫須有」的方式，進行恐嚇、誣蔑，不是大國行為。更表示台灣已經不做指派台諜赴中的行為。

行政院長 蘇貞昌表示：「台灣已經不做(台諜)這樣的事情，而且我們也不必做這樣的事情。」

民進黨立委 趙天麟表示：「我自己是新文化工作隊的，曾經擔任過隊長。那這20幾年來，我們舉辦過那麼多的營隊，我就對鄭宇欽，沒有印象。」

民進黨回擊，央視報導扭曲事實，同時，也對兩岸關係投入巨大惡意，而央視安排鄭宇欽受訪，對著鏡頭認錯、悔罪等作法，陸委會痛批電視認罪手法，完全不符合正當法律程序，更無端栽贓台灣人民，給予嚴厲譴責。

陸委會發言人 邱垂正表示：「中共一再惡意政治炒作，假藉國安藉口，打壓台灣交流人士，並誣陷我方，從事間諜行為，刻意破壞兩岸關係。」

外界關注台諜案後續發展，陸委會跟海基會透露，目前沒有接獲鄭宇欽家屬的反映或請求協助，將會進行必要了解，並提供家屬可能的協助。