A district court in Taipei on September 25 passed sentences ranging from four to ten years on four former members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), convicting them of spying for the People’s Republic of China, Channel News Asia (CNA) has reported.

The court found that the defendants had violated the Classified National Security Information Protection Act by leaking sensitive diplomatic intelligence. In its ruling, the court asserted that the compromised information worsened Taiwan’s already tested diplomatic situation and characterised the act of revealing itineraries of senior officials as having undermined Taiwan’s diplomatic security, CNA added.

The heaviest penalty of ten years’ imprisonment, was handed down to Huang Chu-jung, a former aide to a New Taipei City councillor. Huang was also convicted of organising criminal activities on behalf of China and of money laundering. His former associate, Ho Jen-chieh, received eight years and two months’ imprisonment. Chiu Shih-yuan, once deputy head of the DPP’s Taiwan Institute of Democracy, was sentenced to six years and two months, and was found guilty of both espionage and laundering some TWD7.2mn. The fourth person, Wu Shang-yu, formerly attached to President William Lai’s office, was sentenced to four years the report added.

Court documents were reported as showing that the espionage scheme spanned a prolonged period. Huang is alleged to have merged publicly available data with restricted material supplied by Ho, then repackaged this into analytical reports which he sent to Chinese handlers via encrypted channels.

Two of the defendants - Chiu and Wu – are understood to have admitted to their actions and surrendered illicit gains, while Huang and Ho denied the charges, Focus Taiwan said.

The case drew public attention not only for the identity of the accused but also for its broader implications. The four had already been expelled from the DPP, in May, just prior to indictment in June.