Advertisement
Taiwan
ChinaPolitics

Another Taiwanese ‘spy confession’ aired on Chinese state TV after warning from Taipei

  • Cheng Yu-chin, who previously taught at Charles University in Prague, shown addressing allegations he engaged in independence activities and espionage
  • It followed a special report on another detained suspect, Lee Meng-chu, which Taiwan slammed as ‘malicious political sensationalism’

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Cheng Yu-chin appears on the state broadcaster on Monday. He was accused of using a research institute he set up in Prague to gain intelligence on China and of seeking to damage Beijing’s diplomatic ties in Europe. Photo: CCTV
Sarah Zheng
A second detained Taiwanese man has appeared on Chinese state television supposedly confessing to espionage activities, after Taipei warned Beijing to stop entrapping its citizens and fabricating crimes against them.
Advertisement

Cheng Yu-chin, who previously taught at Charles University in the Czech Republic, was shown on state broadcaster CCTV on Monday evening addressing accusations that he had engaged in Taiwanese independence activities and spied for Taiwanese intelligence agencies.

In the programme, Cheng was said to have been an aide to former Democratic Progressive Party chairman Cho Jung-tai and was accused of using a research institute he established in Prague as a cover to gain intelligence on China and of working to hurt Chinese diplomatic relations in Europe. Cho on his official Facebook account denied that Cheng was ever his assistant.

00:31

'I am Taiwanese', Czech senate president tells Taiwan's parliament

'I am Taiwanese', Czech senate president tells Taiwan's parliament
Taiwan’s relations with the Czech Republic have been in the spotlight after Czech senate speaker Milos Vystrcil travelled to the island in late August, the most senior politician from the central European country to do so in 16 years. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi threatened that Vystrcil would “pay a heavy price” for his actions, and Beijing later issued a travel warning for the Czech Republic amid the tensions.

The allegations against Cheng came after CCTV programme Focus Talk on Sunday aired a special report on Lee Meng-chu, who was shown in prisonwear apologising for endangering Chinese national security with activities relating to Taiwanese independence and support for protests in Hong Kong. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council slammed the show as “malicious political sensationalism”, and accused the Chinese Communist Party of violating individual legal rights by forcing Lee to confess to crimes on its official broadcaster.

Lee Meng-Chu, who was detained in Shenzhen last year, was shown on state television on Sunday apologising for endangering Chinese national security. Photo: CCTV
Lee Meng-Chu, who was detained in Shenzhen last year, was shown on state television on Sunday apologising for endangering Chinese national security. Photo: CCTV
Advertisement
Amid heightened cross-strait relations, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday called for “meaningful dialogue” with mainland China during celebrations to mark the founding of the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name for itself. But Beijing condemned the remarks as advocacy for Taiwanese independence and the People’s Liberation Army instead conducted a mock invasion drill off the coasts of Fujian and Guangdong provinces.
Advertisement