Taiwan convicts ex-presidential aide of spying for China
A former senior aide to Taiwan’s ex-president has been convicted of spying for China. The High Court in Taipei found Kao Chin Su-Mei guilty of passing information to Beijing that could harm national security. Kao has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for her actions.
The case dates back to 2019 when Kao, who served as an advisor to former President Ma Ying-Jeou, was arrested on charges of espionage. Prosecutors claimed that she provided classified information to Chinese officials in exchange for monetary rewards. Kao denied the accusations, stating that she never intended to betray her country.
During the trial, Kao’s defense team argued that she was tricked by Chinese intelligence agents and was unaware of the sensitive nature of the information she was sharing. However, the court rejected this defense, stating that Kao was fully aware of the consequences of her actions.
Following the verdict, Kao’s legal team announced plans to appeal the decision, maintaining her innocence. The case has reignited concerns about Chinese espionage efforts targeting Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing considers a renegade province.
The Chinese government has not issued any official statement regarding the verdict. However, Chinese state media have previously dismissed the allegations as part of a political ploy by Taiwan to stoke anti-China sentiment.
The verdict against Kao comes amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and China, with Beijing increasing military activities near the island. The case underscores Taiwan’s continued vigilance against espionage threats and its efforts to safeguard national security.
Sources Analysis:
– The High Court in Taipei: A judiciary institution involved in the legal proceedings. It aims to uphold the rule of law and justice.
– Kao Chin Su-Mei’s legal team: Likely motivated to defend their client and prove her innocence. Could have a bias in favor of Kao.
– Chinese state media: Known for promoting the Chinese government’s agenda. Likely biased in favor of the Chinese Communist Party.
Fact Check:
– Kao Chin Su-Mei convicted of spying for China – Verified fact. The court’s decision is the result of the legal process.
– Kao denied the accusations – Verified fact. Kao’s statement is confirmed through court proceedings.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Taiwan convicts ex-presidential aide of spying for China”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.