A Taiwanese prosecutor has indicted two people suspected of using money from China to finance the campaign of a candidate who would be pro-unification in the 2022 local elections. The defendants deny the accusations and say they have no ties to the Chinese regime.
According to the New Taipei prosecutor's office, which brought the charges, a Taiwanese man and a Chinese woman had transferred around 100,000 yuan (R$68,500) to the account of the sister of a candidate for councilor from the Taiwan Labor Party. , who advocates unification with communist China, identified as Wang Cheng.
This money was used, according to the accusation, to buy electoral propaganda material for Wang, who ran for councilor in the Nueva Taipéi district, but was not elected. Taiwanese law prohibits candidates from receiving donations from foreign sources, especially China, which considers Taiwan to be part of its territory.
The prosecution alleges that the Chinese woman, identified as Dong Dachi, is a member of a youth organization that receives financial support from the Communist Party of China (CCP), which makes her a “source of infiltration” in the eyes of local legislation.
The Taiwanese man, identified as Sun Chih-chuan, is deputy director of an entity that promotes the development of Chinese youth in Taipei. He said he only lent money to Wang without knowing the source of the funds. Dong, in turn, stated that he only exchanged money with Sun, without political involvement.
According to information from EFE Agencythe two were charged with violating Taiwan's Anti-Infiltration Law and Political Donations Law, which can each carry sentences of up to five years in prison.
Taiwan has accused China of trying to interfere in its electoral processes by supporting candidates in favor of unification or spreading fake news.
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